Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano on Netflix: Would This Super Fight Be Good or Bad for MMA?
Jake Paul strikes again. Shortly after drawing everyone in with insane boxing matches against Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua, the YouTube star-turned fight promoter is behind one of the most epic MMA matches of all time.
And it’s coming to Netflix, giving the streaming giant its first taste of professional MMA on their burgeoning platform.
That’s right, perhaps the most highly anticipated female MMA match of all-time – Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano – is actually happening. The two aging mixed martial artists are getting back in the ring to take each other on, doing something the UFC never managed to do: give the masses the MMA battle of their dreams.
But a Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight potentially raises more questions than answers. Is this good for MMA? Is this a fight that we actually need to see? Instead of deciding who will win just yet, let’s explore the optics of this legendary showdown, why it’s good, why it’s bad, and whether it’ll even happen.
The Rumored Rousey vs. Carano Netflix Super Fight Explained
So, what am I even talking about? Well, if you haven’t heard, it was recently announced – seemingly out of nowhere – that a showdown between UFC legend Ronda Rousey and former Strikeforce and Elite XC star Gina Carano will face off in a massive Netflix MMA match this May.
The fight is a head-scratcher in some ways, but it’s a home run for Netflix, which has successfully tossed its hat into the ring when it comes to live-streaming big sporting events.
Already dipping their toe in with the WWE, boxing, and NFL Christmas Day games, a huge MMA showdown was something that was only a matter of time.
You wouldn’t be totally wrong if you quickly filed this under “shameless celebrity bout”, but these are two of the biggest female MMA stars the sport has ever seen. When it comes to prize fighters and blockbuster bouts, this is about as big as it gets.
Why Rousey vs. Carano is a Legitimate Cultural Event
Some will roll their eyes and shrug this off as another cheap ploy to get Netflix subscribers and a bunch of views.
They will be partially right, as those things will surely happen thanks to the news of this epic super fight, but this bout is actually pretty special.
Two of the Biggest Female Stars in Combat Sports History
Stardom is something that is tough to put your finger on at times, but it’s also very difficult to replicate. Rousey is seen as one of the greatest UFC champions of all-time, while Carano’s hype and star power is undeniable.
Does one have more legit substance than the other? Probably, but Rousey has a little bit of both. From her dominant run as a UFC champ to her bold interviews, Olympic success, and WWE stardom, few can dominate the camera as well as Rousey can.
That goes for Carano, too. The 43-year-old is past her prime as a fighter, but she only had one loss when she fought professionally, and she turned her toughness, looks, and charm into a successful Hollywood career.
It wasn’t one that failed to endure controversy, but Carano was part of huge franchises like Deadpool and The Mandalorian, while she even performed the vast majority of her own stunts in the adrenaline-rich Haywire.
This Fight Brings in New (and Old) MMA Fans
The cool thing about true star power is it can bring in the masses. Even if it’s fans who don’t like a certain sport. Or maybe they used to and left it behind.
There are many layers to this when it comes to a Rousey vs. Carano bout. For one, you have the old MMA fans who gave it up after Rousey’s mystique disappeared. Or you have the loyal Carano followers who have been waiting for her to fight again one last time.
A group of MMA fans that have been hoping and praying for a Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight also exists. There are the loyal WWE fans of Rousey who will gladly tune in to see her fight again, while there are the TV and movie fans who have warmed up to Carano’s characters over the last 16 years.
One way or another, a Rousey vs. Carano bout expands the sport’s reach. Old fans return, and the light from this fight’s fire draws new fans in.
Jake Paul Fight Model 2.0
You don’t need to be a fan of Jake Paul to give him credit. He was a YouTuber and little more, but he built himself up into something that was tough to quantify or appropriately value.
The question has never really been whether or not he is a legit boxer (he’s actually not that bad, by the way). It’s always been about how far can he take his stardom?
Maybe he knows he’s maxed himself out, and this is the next level. Celebrity boxing fights are one thing, but taking established legitimate fighters – even if they’re well past their prime – and giving fans fights they’d otherwise never have gotten? That lives on forever.
The Case FOR This Fight Being Good for MMA
Some of the points broken down above apply here, but there’s more baked into this narrative. Sure, there is some bad that goes into a big fight between aging stars like this, but there’s also a lot of good.
Here are the key points that should have MMA fans in favor of this Rousey vs. Carano fight:
- Massive mainstream exposure: Worried about MMA losing viewership, funding, or attention? Scoring huge fights that draw in the masses works to combat that fear.
- Increased fighter leverage: Cover Dana White’s ears. He doesn’t want to hear this – especially since the UFC has no hand in this fight – but big fights like this promote fighter leverage and can increase earnings. This turns professional MMA into a branding machine, rather than holding stars hostage to the machine.
- Opens door to cross-promotional fights: Independent or retired fighters benefit without being attached contractually to any given entity, while fights like this set the stage for cross-promotional bouts. We could never get Fidor vs. Lesnar, but with this type of platform, we now could.
- Creates new betting markets & eventization: Huge star-driven MMA bouts create big spikes in betting interest, unique markets, and special props that bettors won’t get in any other situation.
- Nostalgia vs. debate settlement: Purely for fans, fights like these can appease long-standing arguments over which fighter would win, while big paydays incentivize retired fighters to come back for one final bout.
The Case AGAINST It Being Good for MMA
As I mentioned before, there’s definitely a downside to Rousey vs. Carano and similar super fights. Here’s a quick breakdown as to why this type of fight could be bad for MMA:
- Entertainment over substance: This type of fight promotion can definitely de-legitimize the sport. If the fighters are way too far past their prime or not properly motivated, a Rousey vs. Carano fight could be a total mess and ultimately a gigantic waste of time.
- Potential pay disparity issues: How does one get valued anymore? Current champions and rising stars within the industry get passed over for bigger names. Suddenly, star power is worth more than actual fighting ability or results. It not only renders the pay scale unreliable, but it can convince high-profile fighters to leave their promotion to chase a bigger paycheck.
- Fragmentation of MMA: Another possible problem is MMA getting stripped down to the point of being a watered-down version of boxing. Suddenly, a gritty sport turns into a chase for money and stardom, while all substance goes out the window.
- Death of interest in authentic matches: This feels extreme, but if all of these issues become a reality, there could be a snowball effect to the point where massive fights like these kill existing promotions, and all we have are prize-fighting matches and nothing else. Suddenly, fans are either only interested in the biggest fights possible, and the fights that actually matter become obsolete.
The Future of MMA Fighters as Free Agents
We might be getting ahead of ourselves, but think of it this way: Rousey and Carano aren’t under contract with a fighting promotion. Heck, neither of them have fought in a decade.
But here they are, negotiating with Netflix to do this insane fight that nobody thought would ever get done.
It could be a one-off, or it could be the start of a brand new future when it comes to how MMA fighters get paid.
Right now, even the best of fighters need a place to call home. They need to stay inside the lies and tiptoe around house rules to make sure they get paid. Even then, contracts can be broken and unless you’re winning at a high level, the money isn’t always worth the sacrifice.
Not everyone can be a prize fighter like Rousey and Carano, but big fights like this could set a tone; the control is actually in your hands if you reach a certain level in MMA fighting.
Impact on Fighting Aesthetics
Another thing to consider is how this type of thinking (and compensation) could influence how fighters operate.
For instance, there are a plethora of sensational fighters in terms of production. Just look at strong grapplers, wrestlers, and/or submission gurus. These fighters are terrors on the mat, they can score takedowns with ease, and they can negate major striking advantages the opposition may have.
Naturally, this could have a greater emphasis on striking, fighters looking for big finishes, and fighters taking on as many fights as they can handle to prove their worth and get noticed more.
Rousey is actually living proof that this doesn’t have to be true, though. It’s all about brand recognition and staying power. Early reports suggest people still care about these two fighters, and in particular want to see them fight each other.
One way or another, though, fighters need to find a way to reach that level before they can take full advantage. Might that convince them to change the way they train and fight?
Is the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano Fight Good or Bad for MMA?
It’s fair to wonder if Rousey vs. Carano will actually even happen. Jake Paul’s promotion company tends to live up to the hype in terms of getting a pitched fight to the canvas, though, so the next big question is what this does for the future of MMA.
There’s no doubt about it, it could change it. It’s more nuanced than just being fully good or completely bad, though. There are positives and negatives, while you also need to look at MMA from a short-term and long-term lens.
- In the short-term, this should lead to massive growth for the sport. Getting this fight in general is going to draw in old viewers and create new ones. Putting it on one of the biggest platforms in the world guarantees eyes will be on it, too.
- Long-term, there are questions that need to be answered. Could this slowly push us to a more watered-down product that is high on flash but low on substance? Could it be the beginning of the end for marquee promotions such as UFC, and/or change how fighters get paid?
To all of that, I say “maybe”.
But there’s risk to everything. In the here and now, MMA fans get a marquee event that nobody thought was possible. It has massive star power, branding, and insane reach. If the actual product can be remotely decent, we could very well be looking at the dawn of an entirely new age in professional MMA.
