Ex-UFC Champion Offers Bold Prediction for Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano Netflix Fight

"The Machine" spent some time training with Carano ahead of her return.

Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

One of the UFC’s biggest stars thinks that MMA fans should be on upset watch when Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano square off on May 16.

In a fight that few (if any) combat sports fans likely had on their 2026 bingo card, UFC Hall of Famer Rousey and fellow women’s MMA legend Carano are both coming out of retirement to headline MVP MMA 1, which will air live on Netflix.

The event will take place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA, and Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix have managed to stack the rest of the card with major names such as Nate Diaz, Mikey Perry, Muhammed Mokaev, and former UFC Heavyweight Champions Francis Ngannou and Junior dos Santos.

Merab Dvalishvili Makes Prediction for Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano

Rousey is currently a sizeable favorite to get her hand raised on May 16, but former UFC bantamweight titleholder Merab Dvalishvili believes that Carano will pull off the upset when the two women meet in the cage.

Gina Carano speaks at the press conference for the Most Valuable Promotions MMA card at Palladium Theater. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

“I think Gina Carano will win this fight,” Dvalishvili told Ariel Helwani this week. “It’s gonna make UFC fighters look bad, and she’s gonna make judo also look bad, but I think she’s gonna win.”

Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) during the fight against Petr Yan (blue gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Dvalishvili’s prediction comes after he spent some time training with Carano during the leadup to MVP MMA 1, and apparently that experience trumps any sense of comradery “The Machine” may feel with Rousey as a fellow judoka.

What Should Fans Expect From Rousey & Carano on May 16?

Now 44 years old, Carano last competed in MMA in 2009 and was stopped by Cris Cyborg in the first round of a fight for the Strikeforce women’s featherweight title.

That result stands as the only loss of Carano’s professional MMA career, which began in 2006 and saw her become the first major female star in MMA. She helped pave the way for Rousey’s own move to the sport after winning a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and it was the success “Rowdy” found as a champion in Strikeforce that encouraged Dana White to rethink his stance on women competing in the UFC.

Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano pose after the press conference for the Most Valuable Promotions MMA card at Palladium Theater. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Immediately instated as the promotion’s inaugural women’s bantamweight champion, Rousey defended her UFC belt via first-round armbar against Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 and went on to defend her title a total of six times before she was knocked out by Holly Holm in a stunning upset at UFC 193.

Ronda Rousey leaves with her mother Ann Maria DeMars following her loss against Amanda Nunes during UFC 207 at T-Mobile Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 39-year-old returned a year later to try and reclaim her belt but was stopped by fellow UFC Hall of Famer Amanda Nunes in just 48 seconds, and she went on to have a successful run in professional wrestling before unexpectedly announcing her return to MMA opposite Carano.