Ronda Rousey is 39 years old, and she is preparing for a comeback on Sunday AEST as part of a Netflix card. The former UFC star has also announced a fight against Gina Carano earlier this year, setting up a return that would put her back in the spotlight after years away from competitive combat.
That age matters because Rousey is not returning as a newcomer trying to make a name. She spent a decade away from competitive fighting before announcing the return, after a run that made her the face of the UFC at her peak. For many fans, the question of how old is Ronda Rousey is tied to something bigger: whether a fighter who once reshaped the sport can still matter after so much time away.
Rousey’s first career arc was built in the Octagon. She helped lay the groundwork for women to feature prominently in combat sports, then left MMA after back-to-back defeats to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016. She later moved into pro wrestling with WWE, where she remained until late 2023, before stepping away again.
Her return plan took shape after she said she was inspired by watching Carano train for a comeback. She also said that watching Mike Tyson and Jake Paul’s late-2024 showdown convinced her she could make an impact on a Netflix-streamed event. That is the wager now: not just that Rousey can fight again, but that her name still carries enough force to anchor a major streaming card.
Carano’s own return has been described as 17 years in the making, which adds another layer to the event Rousey is joining. The pairing puts two women back into the conversation at a moment when combat sports increasingly live on big-platform spectacle as much as competitive record. For Rousey, the next chapter is as much about relevance as it is about age.
