‘I thought you had CTE or something?’: Pros react to shocking Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano announcement
MMA Fighting
February 17, 2026
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 30: Ronda Rousey prepares to face Amanda Nunes of Brazil in their UFC women's bantamweight championship bout during the UFC 207 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) | Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are ready to shock the world one more time.
The MMA stars are both set to make their comeback on May 16 when they compete in a five-round fight at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, headlining an event promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and airing live on Netflix.
Calling the news unexpected or surprising would be an understatement, with Rousey fighting for the first time since 2016 and Carano for the first time since 2009, and the combat sports community has been understandably wowed by the announcement.
Paul tweeted about the news shortly after, calling it a “surreal moment,” and Rousey called it “the biggest super fight in women’s combat sports history.“ Given Rousey’s and Carano’s previous accomplishments and their mainstream notoriety, the bold claim isn’t completely out of the question.
Check out social media reactions to Rousey vs. Carano below.
Surreal moment. I started taking judo because of Ronda Rousey. Now I get to work with her and Gina Carano to bring MMA to Netflix. Here we go…@MostVpromotions pic.twitter.com/zphmZM47kO
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) February 17, 2026
Been waiting so long to announce this: Me and @ginacarano are gonna throw down in the biggest super fight in women’s combat sport history!
And we’re partnering with the fighter-first promotion @MostVpromotions as well as the baddest streamer on the planet @netflix! This is for… pic.twitter.com/vR9IxchOO2
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) February 17, 2026
Conor McGregor reacts to the news of Rousey and Carano returning to MMA pic.twitter.com/leAjMYT4OF
— The Mac Life (@TheMacLife) February 17, 2026
Gina is my dream fight 🥺 https://t.co/OuSd53FYU7
— Yana Santos (@YanaKunitskaya1) February 17, 2026
Hmmmm…145?!
— CrisCy₿org.Com (@criscyborg) February 17, 2026
🤡 all those years of ducking me at 145 when we were both in our prime?!
I thought you had CTE or something?
— CrisCy₿org.Com (@criscyborg) February 17, 2026
WOW https://t.co/MOS66B4k3w
— Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) February 17, 2026
Gina the first woman to unlock the doors, Ronda the first woman to kick them out.. And Amanda the woman who helped glue the pieces together! What a moment for Women’s combat sports! 🙏🏼💕🙌🏼👑 https://t.co/2Std4BBZD3
— PEARL GONZALEZ (@PearlGonzalez) February 17, 2026
Damn they really put RONDA ROUSEY vs. GINA CARANO together ! I’m intrigued 🔥🔥🔥
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) February 17, 2026
Verticals
sportsmma
Originally published on MMA Fighting on 2/17/2026