Gina Carano Reveals 45-Kilogram Weight Loss for MMA Return

Gina Carano's path to her highly anticipated return to the cage against Ronda Rousey has been exceptionally long and arduous.

Carano is set to compete for the first time in 17 years against the former UFC Bantamweight Champion, who herself is making her first appearance in nearly a decade. The bout headlines the Rousey-Carano fight night, scheduled for Sunday morning, Bulgarian time. This marks the inaugural MVP MMA event and will be broadcast exclusively on Netflix.

On Friday, Carano successfully made weight, tipping the scales at 64.1 kilograms, well under the featherweight limit. After securing her first victory of the weekend, she revealed that she had shed 45 kilograms over the past 18 months to prepare for the clash with Rousey.

"If it weren't for this incredibly challenging goal of fighting Ronda Rousey, I definitely wouldn't have achieved it. I was pre-diabetic, I had trouble even walking in September 2024, and since then, I've been on a recovery journey to become an athlete again. It's been tough, so damn tough... there was so much to learn, too much to tell here – ups, downs, plateaus, things I learned late that I wish I'd known sooner, trial and error, but I did it. Thank you, Ronda, for patiently waiting while I lost this weight and giving me a goal to strive for. There's still so much more I need to learn and want to do in the realm of health and continue transforming my body, but for today, thank God, my husband, and my family for being by my side and encouraging me every step of the way. I pray this encourages you too, wherever you are on your health journey. Believe that there is hope. Never give up. Okay... enough emotions, I have a fight tomorrow. We've worked so hard to get here. Watch."

In her last fight in August 2009, Carano was defeated by Cris Cyborg in the Strikeforce featherweight title main event. This remains her only career loss, and she now hopes to continue her fairytale against Rousey, entering the match as a significant underdog.

Rousey was stopped by Holly Holm in November 2015 at UFC 193 and by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016 in her last two mixed martial arts bouts. The American then transitioned to a professional wrestling career with WWE, and now returns to MMA, where she was one of the sport's biggest stars in history.