Ronda Rousey told Ariel Helwani in an interview that her upcoming fight with Gina Carano will mark the end of her fighting career. Rousey explicitly stated she does not plan to compete again after this bout. The former UFC champion cited her desire to expand her family as the primary reason for retirement, saying she wants to have two more children. She emphasized that she does not want to continue fighting beyond this weekend's event. This announcement confirms that fans will see Rousey compete one final time before she permanently steps away from combat sports.
Ronda Rousey has announced that her scheduled fight against Gina Carano will be the final bout of her professional fighting career, telling reporter Ariel Helwani in a recent interview that she has no intention of competing again after this weekend's event.
Rousey, 39, enters the contest carrying a 12-2-0 record and brings one of the most decorated resumes in women's combat sports history. The American, who fights out of Team Hayastan and stands five-foot-seven with a 66-inch reach, was a former UFC champion whose relentless grappling defined an era of the sport. Her numbers reflect that dominance — she averages 6.26 takedowns per 15 minutes and 4.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, complemented by a striking accuracy of 52 percent. Rousey told Helwani that her primary motivation for stepping away is a desire to expand her family, specifically stating she wants to have two more children.
Standing across from her will be Gina Carano, nicknamed "Conviction," who returns to competition at 44 years old with a 7-1-0 record. The five-foot-eight orthodox fighter trains out of Xtreme Couture and has historically been a well-rounded competitor, landing 4.5 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy while averaging 1.24 takedowns and 1.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Rousey has confirmed this is a retirement fight, meaning Saturday's bout carries the weight of a definitive farewell for one of the most influential figures in women's MMA history.
- Carano, a pioneer in her own right, has the opportunity to close out Rousey's career with a victory, which would carry significant symbolic weight for both fighters.
- The grappling-versus-striking dynamic between Rousey's elite takedown output and Carano's tested stand-up presents a compelling stylistic question in what promises to be an emotionally charged main event.
