Gina Carano admits she ‘really wanted’ to fight Ronda Rousey within the UFC following calls with Dana White

Gina Carano hoped that she would have the ability to tick the UFC off her list in her return to MMA.

On May 16, the MMA world shall be introduced to a brand new product when MVP MMA hosts their first event on Netflix, headlined by Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano.

Also competing on the cardboard are stars Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz, who’re co-headlining the event of their returns to the game.

Previously few months, Rousey has taken the possibility to send multiple shots on the UFC, coming on the promotion for his or her upcoming UFC White House event and likewise berating their fighter pay model.

What do you make of the total Ronda Rousey vs Gina Carano card?

Carano wanted MMA return to happen within the UFC

‘Conviction’ Carano has never competed within the premier MMA promotion, despite historic talks with Dana White to fight Rousey under the UFC banner.

And ahead of her return to the game, the 43-year-old has admitted that she wanted her return to the game to happen within the UFC, but ‘Rowdy’ Ronda didn’t want it to and he or she decided to take Rousey’s lead.

“Yeah, I actually desired to do the UFC and make that walk,” Carano said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

“But, I feel that Ronda, she led the way in which. I don’t know (how close it got), that will be between Ronda and Dana. She led the way in which 1000%, I used to be like, I just said yes,” she continued.

Carano had several talks with the UFC last 12 months regarding a possible fight against Rousey after the previous UFC women’s bantamweight champion told the promotion Carano was the just one she would fight.

White and Carano had conversations regarding the potential of a fight in December 2025, to which Carano agreed to, but Rousey had other ideas.

“When their negotiations weren’t going anywhere, she called me personally after which we had dinner and we actually talked about it because we call them the suits, they will get in the way in which and he or she’s very passionate.”

Earlier this week the MVP MMA 1 card took a slight hit because it was revealed that Lorenz Larkin is out of his scheduled fight against Jason Jackson.

At this point, it’s unclear whether the promotion will seek a alternative for Larkin or if they may proceed with one less fight on the cardboard.