Netflix drops Ronda Rousey’s brutally honest message to Gina Carano after 17-second finish
Ronda Rousey had high praise for Gina Carano following their main event clash.
On Saturday night, Rousey stepped back into the cage for the first time in nearly 10 years, and it didn’t take her long to remind fans what she’s capable of.
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The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion needed just 17 seconds to submit Carano, catching her with a signature armbar.
The build-up had been positive between the two, and that respect was clear again after their short Netflix showdown. And Rousey carried herself in a similar way to Khabib Nurmagomedov by refusing to stick the boot in after such a quick win.
She spoke openly about how much she respects Carano not just as an athlete, but as someone who blazed a trail in the early days of women’s MMA.
A fight between them would have been groundbreaking back then – but this bout was more about honouring what they’d achieved than settling any old scores or titles.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images for Netflix
Carano had spent a lot of time getting back into shape for the fight, having been away from the cage since her loss to Cris Cyborg back in 2009.
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She was hoping for a better outcome than what happened, losing in just 17 seconds after being taken down and submitted almost immediately.
Still, Carano took pride in the work she’d put in to get back, and after the fight ended at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, she and Rousey shared a moment that summed up their respect for each other.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani post-fight, Rousey explained what she said during that exchange. “I said she’s my hero,” Rousey explained. “And just thank you for everything. And thank you for bringing me back home.”
The win over Carano turned out to be Rousey’s final appearance as a professional fighter. She announced her retirement soon after getting her hand raised – her first win since beating Bethe Correia at UFC 190 nearly 11 years earlier.
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Meanwhile, Carano hinted this might be her last fight as well but left the door open slightly, especially since she didn’t get the striking exchange she had hoped for against ‘Rowdy’ on May 16th.
The event saw several former UFC fighters pick up wins, with notable performances coming from Francis Ngannou, Mike Perry, and Robelis Despaigne.
Elsewhere on the card, former ONE Championship standout Adriano Moraes won via controversial decision and Salahdine Parnasse made an impression during his US debut with a convincing victory over Anthony Pettis.
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