Ronda Rousey's return to mixed martial arts on Netflix has shattered US viewership records for the sport. The first live MMA event broadcast on the streaming platform, featuring a double-comeback bout between Rousey and Gina Carano, attracted the largest American audience in MMA history.
Record-Breaking Numbers
Netflix and Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions announced on Tuesday that Saturday's event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, drew up to 17 million viewers worldwide. In the United States, viewership peaked at 11.6 million, surpassing the previous MMA record of 8.8 million set in 2011 for UFC on FOX 1.
The Main Event
The 39-year-old Rousey, competing in a cage for the first time in nearly a decade, defeated the 44-year-old Carano with her signature armbar submission just 17 seconds into the first round. Carano was fighting for the first time in 17 years.
Undercard Highlights
Other featured bouts included a welterweight matchup between UFC veterans Mike Perry and Nate Diaz. Perry won by doctor's stoppage after bloodying Diaz. In another fight, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round.
