Ronda Rousey made a stunning return to mixed martial arts after nearly a decade away from the sport. The former UFC women's bantamweight champion faced Gina Carano in the main event of the inaugural MVP MMA event and secured a victory in just 17 seconds via her signature armbar submission. The crowd inside the arena erupted as Rousey celebrated an emotional comeback win.
Despite the dominant performance, Rousey made it clear that she has no plans for another extended run in MMA. Speaking with journalist Ariel Helwani after the fight, the former champion described the win as the perfect ending to her career and revealed her desire to focus on growing her family with husband Travis Browne.
Ronda Rousey's Quick Victory
Rousey looked sharp from the opening second, quickly taking control against Carano and locking in an armbar almost immediately. The referee stopped the fight just 17 seconds into the first round. When asked by Helwani if the loud fan support could convince her to continue fighting, Rousey gave an honest answer, explaining that this was the best possible way to close her MMA story.
She said: "There's no way I could've ended it better than this. I want to have some more babies, and I have to get cooking."
Respect for Gina Carano
Before discussing her future, Rousey showed respect to Carano, who returned to MMA after 17 years away. Rousey thanked Carano for helping bring her back into the cage and called her a personal hero in the sport. She added: "She's my hero. Thank you for everything, and thank you for bringing me back home."
Rousey's Family Life and Career
Rousey is married to former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne. The couple got engaged in 2017 and married in 2018. They now have two daughters together. The win improved Rousey's professional MMA record to 13-2. Her last MMA appearance before this fight was a loss against Amanda Nunes in the UFC, which followed her first career defeat against Holly Holm.
Even though her career ended with difficult losses years ago, Rousey's quick finish against Carano reminded fans why she became one of the biggest stars in MMA history. Along with becoming a UFC champion, she also won an Olympic bronze medal in judo for the United States.
