Ronda Rousey made a stunning return to mixed martial arts on Saturday, submitting Gina Carano in just 17 seconds with her signature armbar. The fight, which took place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, was the main event of a card organised by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and streamed live on Netflix.
Rousey, an Olympic-medalist judoka and former UFC champion, was fighting for the first time in 10 years. Carano, a fellow trailblazer of women's MMA, was competing for the first time in 17 years. The featherweight bout saw Rousey immediately score a takedown, and although Carano attempted a guillotine choke, Rousey escaped and transitioned into an armbar, forcing Carano to tap out instantly.
After the fight, an emotional Rousey praised Carano, saying: 'Gina is the person who brought me into MMA, she's the only person who could've brought me back. She's my f***ing hero, man.' Rousey also indicated this would likely be her final fight, stating: 'My husband and kids are watching, I didn't want to put them through any more.'
Carano, 44, expressed disappointment that the fight ended so quickly but considered her return a victory. 'I wanted that to last longer... I haven't been here for 17 years, so I wanted to hit her,' she said. 'Getting in the cage was a victory, getting here after 17 years was a victory.'
The event also featured a bout between Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, which was stopped after two rounds due to Diaz's severe cuts. In another fight, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round with a left hook.
