The Perfect Co-main for Rousey vs Carano
By Eddie Sanchez
With Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano officially confirmed for May 16 on Netflix, MMA has its first true superfight on the global leader of streaming. It’s a matchup that bridges generations, with the original face of women’s MMA against the woman who made it viable on network television. The name value alone guarantees huge success, but to make this a true super event, the undercard has to be built with intention.
The smart move is to stack it with rising stars. Use the platform to introduce the next wave, particularly those that Jake Paul intends to promote going forward via Most Valuable Promotions. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase a roster and springboard them into the MMA community.
However, a super fight needs a co-main that feels like it could be a headliner in its own right. It needs stakes, legacy, and global intrigue.
Netflix has the opportunity to right one MMA’s greatest wrongs and finally deliver Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar.
For a brief window between 2009 and 2010, it felt inevitable. Fedor ruled PRIDE and carried a 27-fight unbeaten streak. Lesnar was the pay-per-view juggernaut, a WWE attraction who had bulldozed his way to the UFC heavyweight title and helped UFC 100 draw 1.6 million buys. It was a dream fight that stood out in one of MMA’s most star-studded eras.
The UFC pushed hard. Dana White flew to Russia and reportedly put a six-fight, $30 million offer on the table, then the richest deal in MMA history. Negotiations fell apart over co-promotion demands, revenue splits, and Fedor’s desire to continue competing in combat sambo. The UFC wouldn’t budge, Fedor signed with Strikeforce, and the moment passed.
The politics and landscape of MMA are now completely different. netflix is a superpower, who seems capable of securing any superfight it wants (at least in boxing thus far).
Lesnar will always remain an attraction as long as he is willing and able to entertain. Fedor last fought Ryan Bader in 2023, losing his bid for the Bellator Heavyweight title. At 48 and 49 years of age, respectively, Netflix has the opportunity to set up the most iconic women’s fight in history with the one that got away.
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