Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano Pulls 17 Million Viewers; Struggles in Ticketing Department

Numbers surrounding the MVP MMA 1 event, headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, were recently released.

Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano Pulls 17 Million Viewers; Struggles in Ticketing Department

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano with Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian (via Bloody Elbow)

In Short
  • Ronda Rousey's return against Gina Carano attracted nearly 17 million viewers on Netflix.
  • The event generated a live gate of $2.2 million, significantly lower than typical UFC events.
  • Critics argue Rousey's quick victory over Carano lacked substance and failed to redeem her past performance.

Ronda Rousey’s star power helped elevate women’s MMA to global mainstream prominence in combat sports history. UFC CEO Dana White once dismissed the idea of women competing in the UFC promotion. That stance shifted after Rousey joined and quickly became a major attraction worldwide. Despite retiring in 2016, around 17 million viewers worldwide watched her Netflix return against Gina Carano.

Rousey returned after nearly ten years away following her knockout loss to Amanda Nunes in 2016. Carano returned after her 2009 defeat against Cris Cyborg. Their legacy as women’s MMA pioneers significantly increased worldwide attention surrounding the matchup. However, the affair ended quickly as the former UFC champion secured an armbar submission just 17 seconds into the contest.

The Netflix event generated major commercial numbers across viewership, revenue, and digital engagement worldwide. The triple main card averaged 12.4 million live viewers globally across Netflix platforms and broadcasts. Viewership peaked at nearly 17 million during the Rousey vs. Carano main event. The event also reportedly produced a 2.2 million dollar live gate at Intuit Dome in California.

The Intuit Dome has hosted only two major MMA events since opening in Inglewood, California, back in 2024. One was the recent MVP MMA card. The other was UFC 311 in January 2025, headlined by a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Renato Moicano, a short-notice replacement. UFC 311 generated a live gate of $10.2 million, drew 18,370 attendees, and produced around 240,000 PPV buys.

The last numbered UFC event with a disclosed gate as low as that of MVP MMA 1 was UFC 275 in Singapore in June 2022. The card featured Glover Teixeira defending his light heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka in the main event bout. UFC 275 drew 10,787 attendees and generated a reported live gate of $1.54 million. The event also became the UFC’s first pay-per-view card ever held in Southeast Asia.

However, Ronda Rousey described MVP MMA as the dawn of a new era in MMA history. She also predicted the promotion could eventually surpass organizations like the UFC. It is also important to note that MVP MMA 1 was streamed on Netflix at no extra cost to subscribers worldwide. The promotion remains in its early stages compared with established organizations like the UFC and PFL globally.

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UFC veteran criticizes Ronda Rousey’s performance against Gina Carano

MVP MMA was promoted by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian as one of the biggest recent events globally in combat sports. Comparisons were made to the UFC White House event discussions surrounding MMA expansion. Much of the attention came from stars including Ronda Rousey, Francis Ngannou, and Nate Diaz. However, all three headliners finished before the third round despite expectations of longer fights.

Ronda Rousey submits Gina Carano in 17 seconds
Ronda Rousey submits Gina Carano in 17 seconds (via MMA Fighting)

Most of the attention centered on Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, despite their main event lasting only 17 seconds. During the buildup, Rousey repeatedly criticized the current UFC structure and UFC executive Hunter Campbell publicly. Former UFC fighter Matt Brown later criticized Rousey following the event and aftermath. Brown argued she failed to support those criticisms through her performance inside the cage.

I don’t like how she carried herself… If she said she’s coming back for money, I get it. You’re prize-fighting. Come back, get a bag. There’s no redeeming quality about winning this fight. You fought someone who hasn’t fought in 17 years. What are you proud of? There’s nothing to be proud of there. Come back because you say you want to get a win, come on. What are we supposed to feel about that? Do we feel good for her? Just cringe from top to bottom.

Matt Brown via The Fighter vs The Writer

Even before the fight, Matt Brown predicted Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano would create only temporary hype. Brown believed the card would struggle to meet the expectations created by its massive promotion.

The knockout artist also argued that the event would expose the significant skill gap between the UFC and rival organizations. However, MVP MMA 1 still drew significant attention for its star-studded lineup and Netflix partnership.

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