Ronda Rousey stopped Gina Carano with her signature armbar just 17 seconds into the iconic fighters’ mixed martial arts comeback bout Saturday night, according to NBC News. The 29-year-old Rousey ended a 9 1/2-year absence from MMA when she took the cage against the 44-year-old Carano, who hadn’t fought in 17 years, as Rousey (13-2) wasted absolutely no time when the door finally closed, charging and tackling Carano an instant after the opening bell rang.

Rousey quickly moved into position and applied her famous finishing move, wrenching Carano’s arm as the fight was stopped. Rousey famously won eight fights in less than a minute during her meteoric rise through MMA in the 2010s. This improbable double comeback bout united two of the most important fighters from MMA’s past two decades. Rousey became one of the world’s most famous athletes as she won the first women’s title in the UFC, which only began to promote women’s MMA because of Rousey’s undeniable talent and star power, according to NBC.

A Historic Return on Netflix

Rousey and Carano faced off in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16, with the event streamed live on Netflix for the first time, according to ESPN.com.pe. The event was the main card of the debut MMA event by Most Valuable Promotions, the promotion company of Jake Paul. The fight began at 7 p.m. CDMX / 9 p.m. ET, with preliminaries starting at 4 p.m. CDMX / 6 p.m. ET. Rousey and Carano had both missed the weight limit of 145 pounds during the final weigh-in before the event, according to Huron Daily Tribune.

Neither fighter was certain what to expect in this historic clash between two of the most significant athletes in the history of women’s MMA, according to Huron Daily Tribune. The event marked a milestone for Netflix, which had previously streamed major boxing events like Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul and Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov. Rousey, 39 (12-2), and Carano, 44 (7-1), returned to the cage with mutual respect and a shared understanding of their shared legacy in the sport.

Respect and Legacy in the Cage

Rousey and Carano did not engage in the usual pre-fight posturing, instead acknowledging their shared history and mutual respect, according to Huron Daily Tribune. “I will give her absolutely everything I have, and since we respect each other so much, I know we have forgiveness in our hearts for each other,” Rousey said. Rousey, who left MMA after consecutive losses, considered a comeback last year and immediately focused on a fight with Carano, whose acting career abruptly ended in 2021 due to controversial social media posts, according to NBC.

Rousey is expected to retire after this fight, having promised her family it would be her last. “I have promised my husband, my sister, and everyone else that this will be my last fight,” she said in an interview with The Breakfast Club, according to SPORT BILD. However, she left the door open for a potential rematch: “Unless something happens in this fight that justifies a trilogy between Gina and me.”

Long Absences and Uncertain Futures

Carano, a pioneer in women’s MMA, retired in 2009 and has since been known more for her controversial political and social media activity than her athletic achievements. Rousey left MMA after losing to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, then moved to professional wrestling, winning three world titles between 2018 and 2022, according to GMX. Rousey’s return was driven by a desire to “write her story again,” she said, according to SPORT BILD. Carano shared a similar sentiment, expressing a need to prove herself once more after a 17-year absence from the sport.

Both athletes admitted the outcome of the fight would determine whether they remain in MMA or return to their post-fighting lives. For Rousey, who has two children and a growing farm in Riverside, California, the fight represented a chance to close a chapter and move forward with her family. Carano, meanwhile, returned to MMA with no clear future path beyond this one event.