Ronda Rousey is returning to MMA competition for the first time in nearly a decade, facing Gina Carano in what Netflix is staging as its first-ever live combat sports broadcast - available to every subscriber worldwide at no additional cost.

The bout takes place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Saturday 16 May, promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions.

Rousey and Carano meet at 145 pounds (women's featherweight) over five five-minute rounds.

For Australian fans, the main card starts at 11am AEST on Sunday 17 May, with the preliminary card from 8am AEST.

Two Careers That Defined Women's MMA

Rousey, now 39, holds a professional record of 12-2 and a place in the UFC Hall of Fame. 

An Olympic judo medalist, she became the UFC's first ever women's bantamweight champion in 2013 - winning the promotion's first women's bout - and made six consecutive title defences, still a division record.

Her career effectively ended after losses to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016, after which she pursued acting, professional wrestling in the WWE, and motherhood.

Carano, 43, carries a 7-1 professional record from a career that concluded in 2009 - years before the UFC opened its doors to women.

In 2007, she and Julie Kedzie competed in the first-ever women's fight broadcast on Showtime.

Two years later, Carano headlined what was then the first major MMA main event to feature two women, challenging Cris Cyborg for the Strikeforce featherweight title.

After stepping away from competition, she built a significant acting career, appearing in the Fast & Furious franchise, Deadpool, and Disney's The Mandalorian.

Both athletes are coming out of long retirements for this clash - Carano after more than 16 years away from the sport, Rousey after nearly ten. The bout will be contested inside a hexagon cage, not the traditional octagon.

What Else Is on the Card at Inglewood

The 11-fight card carries real depth beyond the headline. Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion with a record of 18-3, faces Philipe Lins (18-5) in a heavyweight bout that adds significant weight to the undercard.

Nate Diaz (21-13) meets Mike Perry (14-8) at welterweight, with further bouts scheduled for Salahdine Parnasse, Junior dos Santos, and Muhammad Mokaev.

Netflix is making the entire event available to all subscribers at no extra cost - no pay-per-view charge, no additional tier.

Most Valuable Promotions, which Jake Paul founded and which has operated primarily in boxing, is staging this as its inaugural MMA card.

The preliminary card begins at 6pm ET on Saturday 16 May (8am AEST Sunday 17 May), with the six-fight main card following at 9pm ET (11am AEST Sunday 17 May) on Netflix.