Ronda Rousey Fires Back at Age Critics Ahead of Historic MMA Return

Rousey Silences Age Critics With Sharp Comeback

Ronda Rousey is never one to stay quiet when critics come knocking. With her highly anticipated return to MMA just around the corner, the 39-year-old former UFC champion has pushed back hard against those questioning whether she is too old to compete, delivering one of her most memorable lines yet: "It's not like my ovaries are fighting."

Rousey, who made history in 2012 as the first woman ever signed by the UFC, will step back into the cage for the first time in a decade when she faces fellow American Gina Carano at the Intuit Dome in California on May 16.

A Double Standard in MMA?

Speaking on CBS Mornings, Rousey wasted no time calling out what she sees as a gender-based double standard in how fighter ages are discussed. She pointed directly to Jon Jones, the 38-year-old former UFC heavyweight champion who last competed 17 months ago, as a prime example.

"I never hear Jon Jones' age being brought up as a disqualifying factor. Why are we even talking about this?" she said.

Jones announced his retirement in 2025, though UFC president Dana White has repeatedly deflected media questions about a possible comeback — without the same level of scrutiny Rousey now faces.

Carano, 44, is herself returning to competition after a 17-year absence, leading some to question how competitive the matchup will truly be. Despite the skepticism, both fighters will undergo additional neurological testing ahead of the bout — a precaution Rousey has acknowledged is necessary given the repeated concussions that ultimately forced her to step away from the sport in 2016.

Rousey Eyes a New Chapter

Rousey's first retirement came on the heels of back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, ending what had been a dominant run as UFC bantamweight champion, a title she defended six times.

Now, fighting under Jake Paul's promotional banner MVP with live coverage on Netflix, Rousey has made clear she wants to rewrite that chapter of her story.

"I want to rewrite my ending," she said at a promotional event last month, also taking the opportunity to criticize the current UFC landscape and dismiss suggestions that her fight with Carano is little more than a "charity" bout.

Fighter Pay Takes Center Stage

At a New York press conference on Wednesday, Rousey turned the spotlight onto a topic that has been building pressure across combat sports — fighter compensation.

She revealed that every fighter on the card would receive a minimum of $40,000 (approximately £29,500), regardless of the result.

"I hope that everyone sitting here today is getting the biggest pay day of their career, and I hope after this event we can raise that ceiling higher and higher until it is on par with the highest-level boxers," Rousey said.

The timing of her remarks is significant. Controversy has been swirling after boxer Conor Benn reportedly secured an £11 million single-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing — an organization owned by Dana White, the very same UFC president who has long been criticized for underpaying his MMA roster. While boxers typically receive around 60% of revenue, UFC fighters see only about 20%.

Nate Diaz, who squares off against fellow American Mike Perry on the same card, echoed Rousey's sentiments by labeling the assembled athletes "free fighters" — a pointed reference to their independence from UFC contracts.

Also featured on the card is Francis Ngannou, set to battle Brazil's Philipe Lins. Both Diaz and the Cameroonian heavyweight left the UFC after voicing frustration over pay.

"Everybody on this stage is a leader because they took a stand and said 'no' and they're worth more," Rousey declared. "The reason we're all here together is because all of you led the way."

Rousey Takes Aim at Harrison, Praises Pimblett

Rousey didn't stop there. She also weighed in on the UFC's women's bantamweight division, pushing back against claims that champion Kayla Harrison's anticipated rematch with Amanda Nunes would be the biggest women's fight in MMA history.

"[Harrison] isn't even bigger than Paddy the Baddy," Rousey said, referencing British fan favorite Paddy Pimblett.

Pimblett, arguably the most popular MMA fighter in the UK, most recently fell short in a UFC interim lightweight title bout against Justin Gaethje in January but has otherwise gone 7-1 since his UFC debut in 2021. Rousey praised his star potential and extended an open invitation.

"He's got more potential than anyone else in the UFC, and he should call me when his contract runs out," she added.

With a stacked undercard, a fierce advocate for fighter rights at the top of the bill, and one of MMA's greatest ever competitors stepping back into the spotlight, May 16 is shaping up to be a landmark night for the sport.