Ronda Rousey revealed that Dana White was fully aware of her comeback fight with Gina Carano. Not only was White aware, but he was the first person approached about booking the fight under the UFC banner.
Rousey vs. Carano was officially announced for an upcoming event, scheduled for May. 16 and streaming live on Netflix. However, it will instead be promoted by Jake Paul‘s Most Valuable Promotions.
The news shocked the MMA community, as MVP had focused solely on boxing until now. Rousey and Carano being two of the biggest female stars to ever compete in the sport, which will certainly help generate interest.
The former women’s bantamweight champion cleared the air about her fight against Carano taking place outside the UFC. Rousey noted that Carano was the only opponent she had interest in returning to MMA for. While she spoke with White, they were ultimately unable to reach an agreement.
“I always said that Gina [Carano] is the one person that I’d come back to fight for. And I thought, you know what, she needs this. She needs this fight. And the more that I thought about it, I was like, I need this. I really need this fight,” Rousey said during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “I reached out to Dana and asked him if he would be interested in it, and it didn’t exactly work out with the UFC, but it led us here today [with MVP].”
Rousey Says Carano Bout was a Collective Effort
Ronda Rousey also said that negotiations to make her bout with Gina Carano a reality were a collective effort.
Both women’s MMA pioneers were heavily involved in the process rather than simply being approached about the fight. This effort can also be attributed to Rousey and Carano securing a lucrative deal with MVP. Their bout will receive significant exposure, given the success of MVP’s all-female boxing card.
“We fought for this and we fought to fight each other,” Rousey told ESPN’s SportsCenter. “There were a lot of obstacles along the way. And I told [Carano], ‘If I have to go out there and train you myself to fight me, I will.’ And we made it happen.”
Rousey vs. Carano: Early Betting Odds
Early betting odds have been released for the upcoming clash between women’s MMA pioneers Rousey and Carano.
It has been years since either fighter has competed, which makes the early odds intriguing as oddsmakers evaluate who holds the advantage. Rousey, 39, last fought in 2016, losing a 1st round TKO to Amanda Nunes. Carano, 43, last fought in 2009, also losing a 1st round TKO to Cris Cyborg.
Oddsmakers are favoring Rousey, according to the first lines released by BetOnline. Rousey sits at -400, while Carano is listed as a heavy underdog at +330.
Based on the early betting lines, a $20 wager on Rousey would yield a total payout of $25. That return might lead bettors to place additional wagers on prop bets once they become available to maximize value.
A $20 wager on Carano to defeat Rousey, however, is far more lucrative. That would result in a total payout of $86.
Ronda Rousey Reveals Why Gina Carano Fight Isn’t Happening in Dana White’s UFC