Ronda Rousey says her comeback fight with Gina Carano could be the launchpad for a new role behind the scenes with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
Rousey is set to return against Carano on May 16 in an event that will be promoted by MVP rather than the UFC and will air on Netflix at no extra cost to over 325 million subscribers. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has said the company could be involved in MMA long term if the card is a success, and Rousey is already eyeing a major position.
“I mean I think nobody is more qualified than me,” Rousey said. “I’m definitely more qualified than Hunter f*cking Campbell. I think that MVP would be an incredible partner and that Nakisa [Bidarian] and Jake Paul really believe in making sure the fighters are compensated fairly.”
Rousey believes the Netflix partnership and the Carano matchup signal a broader shift. “The sport is at a crossroads where it’s kind of like I came upon women’s MMA and I’m like wait a minute, there’s a huge opportunity here. I’m seeing it right now with MVP and Netflix and MMA. [If] this event is a huge success, there’s a huge opportunity to take over the market share in MMA and show everybody what they’ve been missing.”
“I would love to be their Dana and shepherd them into the future,” Rousey added. “We’ll see how this goes first. I feel like it’s a no-brainer.”
