Ronda Rousey made a stunning return to mixed martial arts on Saturday, submitting Gina Carano with a signature armbar in just 17 seconds. 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 score an immediate takedown, and when Carano attempted a guillotine choke, Rousey escaped and transitioned into an armbar, forcing the tap.
After the fight, an emotional Rousey said: '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.' She added: 'My husband and kids are watching, I didn't want to put them through any more,' seemingly closing the door on future fights.
Carano, 44, said: 'I wanted that to last longer. I felt like I was so ready, I felt so good, I've never felt that good. But I haven't been here for 17 years, so I wanted to hit her.' She added: 'Getting in the cage was a victory, getting here after 17 years was a victory.'
On the undercard, Nate Diaz was stopped by Mike Perry after two rounds, with the bout called off due to cuts. Francis Ngannou also featured, knocking out Philipe Lins in the first round with a left hook.
