Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey seems to be in great shape ahead of her anticipated return to competition.
Rousey, 37, is the first women’s champion in UFC history, having claimed bantamweight gold with a win over Liz Carmouche in 2013. However, she has not fought since she suffered a knockout loss to Amanda Nunes in late 2016.
That will change on May 18, when Rousey takes on fellow MMA legend Gina Carano. The fight, which is one of the biggest that’s ever occurred outside the UFC, will air exclusively on Netflix.
As the fight draws closer, Rousey is ramping up her training. That includes plenty of pad work, as she looks to shore up her striking. Her striking was one of the weaker aspects of her game in her prime, and Carano specializes in Muay Thai, so this makes a lot of sense.
See Rousey working combinations with her coach in the video below:
Ronda Rousey shows off improved striking ahead of comeback
Ronda Rousey looking sharp in newly released training footage 👀🔥
(via @RondaRousey) pic.twitter.com/xLEhXFMWQf
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 25, 2026
Prior to her loss to Nunes, Rousey suffered the first loss of her career at the hands of Holly Holm. The infamous fight saw the former champion cut down by a head kick after being badly out-struck in round one.
Prior to that, she was incredibly dominant. After winning the belt against Carmouche, Rousey defended it six times. First, she submitted Miesha Tate with her patented armbar. Then, she scored a pair of TKO wins over Sara McMann and Alexis Davis. Then came a 14-second armbar against Cat Zingano, and a quick knockout of Bethe Correia in 2015. The knockout Correia was the last win of her career. After retiring from MMA, she enjoyed a successful run wrestling with WWE. She is also a former olympic medalist in judo.
Her opponent Gina Carano, 43, has not fought in even longer. Her last fight occurred in 2009, when she was knocked out by Cris Cyborg. Prior to that, she went 7-0 to start her MMA career, defeating other veterans like Rosi Sexton, Julie Kedzie, and Tonya Evinger.
