Ronda Rousey is set to make her MMA return on May 16. She will face Gina Carano in a five-round featherweight clash inside a hexagon cage in the main event of Netflix’s first-ever live MMA broadcast and MVP’s inaugural MMA event.
Yesterday, during the presser, “Rowdy” took aim at the UFC and its CEO, Dana White.
The 39-year-old opined that in 2026, the UFC is the worst promotion to join as a pro mixed martial artist, as the company is focused on making money rather than putting on big fights.
Ronda Rousey originally wanted to face Gina Carano under the UFC banner and even approached her ex-boss, Dana White. But ultimately, the fight fell through with the UFC. During the press conference, she talked about the same and said:
I knew that we could promote this on our own, and that would be the most lucrative way to go for us. But I have such love and respect for Dana [White] that I wanted to bring this to him first, and I said, ‘I can do this on my own, but I would rather fight for you than fight for me. Just make it make sense for me.’ Originally, we were going to do it on New Year’s, and it was going to be the last fight under the pay-per-view model. He offered me the best pay-per-view structure ever, and I was so grateful. But Gina said she needed more time.”
Once [UFC] moved into the streaming model, it’s just not about putting on the best fights possible anymore. Dana is legally beholden to the shareholders and to maximize shareholder value. Unfortunately, now that they’ve taken the reins of the company away from [Dana White], it’s barely recognizable now.”
Check out Ronda Rousey’s comments below:
Ronda Rousey Calls Out UFC Over Fighter Pay: “There’s no reason they can’t afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage”
UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey believes the June 14 White House event lineup sucks, and even Dana White is aware the promotion is falling apart.
“Rowdy” then pointed out how, despite the company’s seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, most fighters still struggle to earn enough money. Using current and two-time UFC women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko as an example, Ronda Rousey said:
He [Dana White] knows the White House card sucks. He knows they were pushing this for over a year, and it fell extremely short of expectations… The UFC is one of the worst places to go. So many of their top athletes are leaving to find and pay elsewhere. It’s why their champions like Valentina [Shevchenko] are selling pictures of their ti*ties on OnlyFans. A lot of them at the ground level cannot even support their families… This company just got $7.7 billion. There’s no reason they can’t afford to pay their athletes at least a living wage.”
Meanwhile, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who will also make his MMA return under the MVP banner on May 16, in the co-main event, quipped:
I am happy I am out of that [UFC]. That’s all I can say.”
Check out Ronda Rousey and Francis Ngannou’s comments below:
After the pay-per-view model was mostly eliminated in 2026, many fighters have demanded new contracts, including Conor McGregor, who is expected to make his return on the International Fight Week card in July.
Although Dana White has said fighters will earn more under the Paramount deal, there has been no clear statement so far. Many fighters are already questioning how White’s Zuffa Boxing can reportedly pay Conor Benn $15 million for a single fight while others remain severely underpaid.
