Gina Carano has had eight MMA fights - winning seven and losing once to Cris Cyborg in her last outing.

But before this defeat, Carano had seven wins on the bounce.

Here. We. Go.

Gina Carano is on her way to the octagon with 'Mr Brightside' playing in the background.

Class.

Ronda Rousey wasn't one for sticking around in the cage.

Her average fight length across her 14 bouts in the UFC is just over three minutes.

How long is this one going tonight?

Nate Diaz, speaking to Netflix after his loss: "He did everything I expected him to. He came out hot and ready, and aggressive. I think I broke my finger in the first two seconds, and I spent too much time worrying about that rather than focusing on the animal that I am. I’m going to come back and get [Perry]."

On the stoppage: "Yeah, I had blood in my eye. I couldn’t see anything, I wasn’t going to do anything but next time he’s not going to be able to do anything."

At 44, Gina Carano probably thought she would never fight again but here she is in this HUGE event.

She says she lost 100lb (7st 2lb) since September 2024 training for the contest, and weighed in at 141.4lb (10st 1.4lb) on Friday.

"This fight focused me and gave me purpose to aim for something, not just physically, but it consumed me," said Carano.

"It was incredible to be able to aim all my energy towards something.

"My health is so much better and I feel like myself, I feel comfortable in my skin, I feel alive and I'm grateful every day."

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Battison
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

In 2024, Rousey acknowledged she was forced to retire from MMA after her defeat by Amanda Nunes in 2016 because of repeated concussions.

When she joined the WWE in 2018, doctors told her she had a "pristine brain" during her medicals in a moment which brought tears of relief to Rousey.

Perhaps that was the moment a seed was planted that she could one day fight again.

For the Carano bout, the pair have undergone stricter "neurological and concussion battery testing", according to the California State Athletic Commission.

With the fight going ahead shortly, it's safe to assume both fighters have successfully passed the tests.

Ronda Rousey's UFC record stands at 12-2.

Those two defeats came in her previous two fights in MMA - first to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016.

They were devastating knockouts. One via headkick to a huge underdog in Holm and then knocked out badly by Nunes in 48 seconds.

No wonder Rousey wants a better ending in MMA?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Ronda Rousey was once the queen of the UFC and collected some incredible records along the way

• Fastest finish in a UFC Women's Bantamweight division title fight (0:14)
• Longest title fight finish streak in UFC history (6)
• Most finishes in UFC women's bantamweight title fights (6)
• Fastest knockout in UFC bantamweight history (0:16)

WWE star and former UFC fighter CM Punk is in the house.

He predicts Ronda Rousey to win via armbar. Creative.

Mike Perry speaking to Netflix: "I landed really good shots, and I was hitting Nate Diaz, and getting a little bit tired but I think that’s part of it, we get tired every round. He’s the toughest guy out there. If he stumbles around he has tricks up his sleeve. He’s super tough, but we got the job done tonight. I’m happy that we got success, the crowd was cheering for him so loud and booing me, so I tried to be respectful and bring some hype."

On Diaz: "I think it was big power shots landing left and right. I slowly walked and paced across the ring. I didn’t feel any countershots; it was only his jiu jitsu that was getting me in trouble at times, and I didn’t really know how to counter that."

"I didn’t get to see the championship rounds. Five-minute rounds are a lot against me. I make people quit in four minutes or less in bare knuckle. Little gloves and elbows, 10 minutes of damage, it’s a lot of power and pain to deal with. I’m super aggressive, and I train really explosively."

Image source, Getty Images

It's no secret what Gina Carano has been through the past five years and here she is opening up about what this fight has done for her.

Carano says it "saved her life".

Paul Battison
BBC Sport journalist

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When UFC president Dana White infamously said in 2011 that there would never be a woman in the UFC, Ronda Rousey took it as a personal challenge.

After four first-round submissions in former promotion Strikeforce, White could ignore her no longer, and the rest is history.

She joined the UFC and became one of the biggest sports stars in the world during a dominant championship reign, shattering the glass ceiling for women in the sport.

Later she would join the WWE, where again she became champion and fought for equality for women in the organisation.

Rousey has always been a pioneer, so when she says the MVP-Netflix event could change the landscape of MMA and challenge the UFC's dominance, it would take a brave person to bet against her.

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Ronda Rousey burst on to the MMA scene and won her first four professional bouts in a combined time of just two minutes and 18 seconds.

Each of those victories came via armbar submissions - a sign of what was to come.

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Another first round armbar submission victory against a vastly more experienced Miesha Tate sealed the Strikeforce bantamweight belt in just her fifth fight.

Rousey headlined her first UFC card in 2013, beating Liz Carmouche by... you guessed it - armbar submission to begin her UFC bantamweight title reign.

Just as it looked like Rousey's opponents might start to offer a greater challenge, Rousey raised her level and beat Alexis Davis in 16 seconds, before bettering that time with a 14 second win over Cat Zingano.

Image source, Getty Images

Ronda Rousey is a huge advocate for greater fighter pay and it's the reason she says she's fighting tonight.

Have a watch of her interview with BBC Sport below.

If Ronda Rousey had her way, this fight would have happened two years ago and in the UFC after she saw Gina Carano in a bad place after being fired by Disney.

Negotiations stalled but Rousey contacted Carano directly before the bout eventually came to fruition under Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

Here's more from Carano on her struggles: "I remember being under so much physical stress that my anxiety hurt so bad that my skin hurt.

"I was having panic attacks and it was like the whole world was caving down.

"That was rough, it was not the best. I worked two decades to get the career I had and everything was taken from me overnight."

Francis Ngannou, when asked about retired UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones on Netflix: "As I have said before Jon Jones is a great fighter, probably the best that has ever done MMA. But in terms of business, he still has something to learn, and should be watching what I am doing and learning. If he gets it now, he should be able to figure it out, and come we make this fight. This fight needs to happen before we retire.

"He’s caged. He doesn’t know how to get out of the cage yet. I see myself victorious."

In 2011, UFC president Dana White famously said we would "never" see women compete in the promotion, but Ronda Rousey left him with no other option.

Just a year later and after five successive first-round submission wins, Rousey was signed to the UFC and handed the inaugural bantamweight title.

It proved to be a mutually beneficial relationship as Rousey made six successful defences of that belt and emerged as one of the biggest stars in MMA.

Rousey went on to headline six UFC cards and was one of the highest paid athletes in the sport.

Their relationship appeared to be intact when she retired in 2016, but Rousey has more recently criticised the UFC for how they pay their fighters.

This week, Rousey has made clear her intention to go head-to-head with White as she plots a future as a promoter.

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Ronda Rousey v Gina Carano is NEXT.

The time is finally nearly here.

Kenny Florian
Retired fighter on Netflix

Nate Diaz, I think he ate too many elbows. I think the knee was maybe a culprit of a cut, but my goodness, it looks like Perry has just performed surgery on the head of Nate Diaz without using sutures.