Ronda Rousey is set to face Gina Carano on MVP's first MMA card on Netflix, a high-profile matchup scheduled for May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
The bout brings together two of the most prominent names in women’s MMA. Rousey is described as one of the biggest stars in the UFC, a former bantamweight champion who convinced Dana White to have women in the UFC and went on to record six title defenses. Carano is described as a trailblazer and women’s MMA pioneer.
Rousey, known for winning fights with her signature armbar, emphasized the importance of promotion ahead of the event. "I don't know if it's leveled up yet," Rousey said of the current state of things, before expanding on what she believes fighters need to do outside the cage.
"I think that they've done an incredible job, but I think a lot of them need to realize that just going in and fighting isn't the whole job, and really putting a lot of thought into media and stuff like this and being able to get your message across because your job isn't to win fights, it's to get people to watch your fights."
Rousey has previously drawn over 1 million pay-per-view buys in title fights against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, and she framed her matchup with Carano as another lesson in how to build interest. "We don't just show up and fight. It's storytelling," she said, stressing that fighters "need to put just as much effort into promotion as you do into fighting if you want anyone to watch your awesome fight."
