Few fighters in the history of MMA have as strong a connection to the UFC as Ronda Rousey. But as she prepares for her long-awaited return on May 16 against another pioneer, Gina Carano, Rousey says the company she helped propel into the mainstream — and vice versa — no longer resembles the UFC she once knew.
The former UFC bantamweight champion spoke at a launch press conference ahead of the Netflix fight on Tuesday, explaining how she initially tried to bring the fight to the UFC and its CEO Dana White, but the deal ultimately fell through.
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“I knew we could promote the program ourselves, which would probably be the most profitable way for us,” Rousey said. “But I have so much love and respect for Dana that I wanted to bring this to him first. I said, ‘I can do this on my own, but I’d rather fight for you than fight for me. Just make it meaningful to me.’ Originally we were going to do it in the New Year, and that would be the last fight.” [UFC’s] Pay-per-view, he gave me the best pay-per-view structure ever and I’m so grateful. But then Gina said she needed more time to be in top shape and she wanted me to fight my best self. I guess this is fate. That’s how it is, and [that] Pushed us to the other side.
“once [UFC] Enter streaming mode [with new broadcast partner Paramount]it’s no longer about having the best fight possible. Dana has a legal obligation to its shareholders and is committed to maximizing shareholder value. Unfortunately, now they have taken control of the company [White]almost unrecognizable now.
“They need to be saved from themselves, and luckily I’m here to be their hero.”
Rousey’s comments reflect the ongoing debate over the UFC’s business structure through 2026 following its massive $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount and its shift away from the traditional pay-per-view model that once defined the promotion’s biggest events.
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Despite the criticism, Rousey, 39, made it clear that her problem was not with longtime UFC frontman White himself, whom she still considers a mentor and friend.
“When they couldn’t offer me a decent deal in a streaming model, he would say, ‘I want you to make as much money as possible. Don’t stay here and take less money from me,'” Rousey said. “He gave me his blessing to go out on my own and do this, and if anyone was his apprentice in teaching me how to be a promoter, it was me.
“When I first let him know that I went to Netflix, I didn’t want him to be upset with me. He said, ‘I’ll never be upset with you. I love you so much. I want this to work out.’ He’s always been my friend first. I think I’m very excited about the UFC now. “Most of the criticism is because Dana is not the boss, he’s not giving orders, he’s not managing things the way he wants because he’s not the owner now. I think it’s a big mistake that they don’t let him run things the way he normally would.”
Rousey even hinted that White himself hasn’t been particularly happy with some of the promotion’s recent moves, specifically pointing to the UFC White House card scheduled for June 14.
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“He knows the White House card is bad,” Rousey said. “He knew they had been pushing this project for over a year and it was nowhere near what they expected. He was very frustrated about it – he was talking about a fight the day before, you know? I can guarantee you that he wasn’t happy about it either. He was the one who taught me by example to speak my mind.”
More broadly, Rousey believes the UFC’s financial model has reached a tipping point that is now forcing some of the sport’s biggest names to look for opportunities elsewhere.
Former two-tier champion Jon Jones has become the latest to speak his mind after missing out on his coveted chance at the White House. After negotiations ultimately came to nothing, the all-time great asked the UFC to release him.
“In the past, the UFC was the best place for you to make a living in combat sports and get paid fairly,” Rousey said. “Right now it’s one of the worst places to be. That’s why a lot of their top athletes are leaving to find pay elsewhere. That’s why their champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] Selling their t****** photos on OnlyFans.
Ronda Rousey, Jake Paul and Gina Carano pose on stage during the Netflix launch press conference.
(Melina Pisano via Getty Images)
“These guys, a lot of them at the bottom, can’t even feed their families. They’re living in poverty, working full time. This company just got $7.7 billion. There’s no reason they can’t pay their athletes at least a living wage. And even then, at least comparable to what these athletes are making in other sports.”
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“Why would they expect to get the best athletes and ambitious kids who want to be in MMA? Why not go into football? Why not boxing? Why not go into anything else? So they’re hemorrhaging talent because of short-term greed. They’re thinking about the next quarter. They’re thinking about shareholders rather than thinking about their responsibilities as future stewards of the sport.”
For Rousey, Carano represents more than just a comeback fight — her first since December 2016. It’s also a statement about where MMA superstars might choose to do business in the future.