Tonight at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, two of the biggest women’s stars in MMA history, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, will face off in a five-round Featherweight fight. Rousey is 12-2 with 12 finishes and is a former UFC and Strikeforce Champion. Carano’s record stands at 7-1 with four finishes, and she last competed in August 2009. Rousey’s last fight was in December 2016 at UFC 207.
Check out my prediction for the Main Event of tonight’s Netflix MMA MVP event between Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano.
Ronda Rousey Round 1 (-110)
Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano is truly a dream fight, and one that most never thought would come to fruition. After the UFC bought Strikeforce, they eventually formed women’s divisions, and Rousey became the first UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She successfully defended the title six times before suffering two consecutive losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. When Rousey was at her peak in the UFC, she was highly regarded as one of the company’s biggest stars.
From 2006 to 2009, Carano competed in MMA, but retired after only three years to pursue acting. She lost her last fight against Cris Cyborg in August 2009, with her last victory coming against Kelly Kobold at EliteXC: Heat in October 2008.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Rousey is a -625 favorite with Carano being a +455 underdog. This fight’s over/under is 1.5 rounds, with the under at -215 and the over at +165. This contest is -1800 to not go the full 25 minutes.
Since 11 of Rousey’s 12 victories have come in the first round, I’m taking in Round 1 at -110. Although both fighters are coming off long layoffs, Rousey seems more prepared and has had more longevity in her MMA career before returning in 2016.
