Updated 12:18 16 May 2026 GMT+1Published 17:01 15 May 2026 GMT+1

Strict rules for Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey’s Netflix MMA fight in California

Pioneering MMA fighters Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey's fight will be available for millions of Netflix subscribers to stream

William Morgan

Two giant of women's mixed martial arts are finally facing each other in the ring this Saturday night, with the much-anticipated fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano being streamed around the world on Netflix.

Former Olympian Ronda Rousey, with a 12-2 record, is returning to MMA after a decade to take down Gina Carano, who was at 7-1 before giving up her gloves in 2009 to focus on a successful acting career.

But both rusty fighters will be subjected to strict rules during their exhibition bout, which is being fought under influencer Jake Paul's 'Most Valuable Promotions' business, rather than the UFC.

Not only will they be grappling with MMA rules after more than 10 years off the mat, but 39-year-old Rousey and Carano, 44, have never actually faced each other in the ring before - leaving everything to play for this Saturday night.

The two female legends of the ring are finally facing off (Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)

The historic bout is taking place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, from 6pm Pacific, with any Netflix subscriber able to watch the fight live as it takes place.

But Rousey and Carano will not be in the ring from 6pm, with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also making a return to MMA before the headliners put on their gloves and beat seven hells out of each other.

Speaking to Netflix, Carano said: "Ronda came to me and said there is only one person she would make a comeback for, and it’s been her dream to make this fight happen between us. "She thanked me for opening up doors for her career and was respectful in asking for this fight to happen. This is an honor. I believe I will walk out of this fight with the win, and I anticipate it will not come easy, which I welcome. This is as much for Ronda and I as it is for the fans and mixed martial arts community.

"What a time to be alive.”

Strict rules Carano and Rousey have to follow

Ronda Rousey has been training hard before her return to the ring (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/The Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Rousey and Carano will be fighting under the Unified Rules of MMA, which every major promotion, including the UFC, asks fighters to follow. They will be facing off for five rounds of five minutes, wearing four-ounce gloves.

According to this official MMA ruleset, the following acts constitute fouls in a contest or exhibition of mixed martial arts and may result in penalties, at the discretion of the referee, if committed:

Butting with the head
Eye gouging of any kind
Biting or spitting at an opponent
Fish hooking (act of inserting a finger or fingers or one or both hands into the mouth or nostrils or a person, pulling away from the centerline of the body)
Hair pulling
Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck
Strikes to the spine or the back of the head.
Throat strikes of any kind, and/or grabbing the trachea
Fingers outstretched toward an opponent’s face/eyes
Downward pointing elbow strike (’12 to ‘6 strike)
Groin attacks of any kind
Kneeing and/or kicking the head of a grounded opponent
Stomping a grounded opponent
Holding opponent’s gloves or shorts
Holding or grabbing the fence or ropes with fingers or toes
Small joint manipulation
Throwing opponent out of ring/fighting area
Intentionally placing a finger into any orifice or any cut or laceration of an opponent
Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh
Timidity (avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury)
Using abusive language in the fighting area
Flagrant disregarding of the referee’s instructions
Unsportsmanlike conduct that causes injury to an opponent
Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat
Attacking an opponent on or during the break
Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee
Interference from a mixed martial artist’s corner or seconds

Any combination of fouls or after a flagrant foul can result in disqualification, at the discretion of the referee. Fouls can result in scorekeepers deducting points, with each scorekeeper responsible for deductions, not the referee, who is responsible for calling the foul.