Amanda Serrano Eyes MMA Cage Shift: Gina Carano Got Next
https://www.tmz.com/2026/05/30/amanda-serrano-teases-mma-fight/
Amanda Serrano, one of the best boxers in the world and an MMA fighter, is interested in returning to the cage with a big name opponent in mind: Gina Carano.
Here’s the crossover nobody saw coming—or maybe we should’ve. The 37-year-old unified featherweight world champion just caught the MMA itch watching MVP (Most Valuable Promotions) run its first MMA card on Netflix. And she’s ready. Serrano told Jake Paul, “Put me in coach, I’m ready to go in!” calling it “a great show, live on Netflix.”
The timing is wild because Carano just got absolutely dismantled in her own Netflix comeback. Carano made a one-off return to MMA under MVP after a 17-year hiatus against Ronda Rousey on May 16, 2026—and lost via armbar submission just 17 seconds into the first round. Not exactly the triumphant homecoming the internet was hyped for. But here’s where it gets interesting: Serrano sees an opening.
When asked about facing Carano, Serrano said, “It would be an honor to go in there with such a great fighter. She’s a striker as well. She comes from a kickboxing background.” Respect the game. And there’s real history to respect—Carano literally helped pioneer women’s MMA before stepping into Hollywood. Serrano knows that.
But real talk: Serrano is 2-0-1 in MMA with both her wins coming by submission—a guillotine and rear-naked choke. Those ground skills would test Carano’s striking, which got her nowhere against Rousey’s wrestling. Serrano said 2026 will be the last year of her boxing career after 17 years as a professional, so if she’s gonna pivot to the cage, it’s now or never.
Serrano’s stepping into the ring Saturday night against Cheyenne Hanson in El Paso, chasing Christy Martin’s knockout record. But everybody knows where her head really is. Jake Paul built MVP to be the next major combat sports platform—and a Serrano-Carano MMA matchup would be the kind of crossover that actually makes sense. Two icons from different eras, different sports. Two strikers in a cage. That’s the kind of generational clash that draws.
The 16BARS take: MVP’s Netflix MMA move worked—now Serrano’s asking for her shot. The real question is whether Carano’s got another fight in her after that brutal loss, or if this is just boxing’s GOAT testing the waters before she hangs it up.