Welcome to Bloody Elbow’s daily round-up of combat sports news on a day when multiple comebacks were confirmed.
This is your one-stop shop for the top five stories from February 17, 2026. After yesterday’s announcement from Jorge Masvidal that Anthony Smith will be coming back under his banner, some even bigger names announced their returns to dictate today’s news cycle.
What looked like it would be a slow Tuesday turned into something else entirely, with two huge stories breaking across different parts of the sport. In MMA, Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano finally agreed to meet in the cage. Meanwhile, over in boxing, Manny Pacquiao has decided to step back into the ring once again.
Netflix to stream Rousey vs Carano as part of Jake Paul’s promotional debut
With little happening around the sport, editorial teams covering MMA were likely expecting a quiet morning. That changed quickly when Netflix, Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian announced a historic fight between two of the most recognisable women in the sport.
Both Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano helped pave the way for women in combat sports, even though both have been out of fighting for some time. Their matchup is scheduled for May 16 at the Intuit Dome, serving as Most Valuable Promotions’ first step into MMA.
Rousey hasn’t fought since 2016, but she did move into WWE where she headlined WrestleMania’s first ever all-women’s main event. Carano was already retired before Rousey became a star and has since focused on her acting career, which includes a major role in The Mandalorian.
Manny Pacquiao set for return bout in Las Vegas exhibition
It wasn’t just the MMA world buzzing, either. Boxing fans got their own headline when Manny Pacquiao revealed plans to step back into the ring, less than a year after his impressive showing against Mario Barrios.
The long-rumoured rematch with Floyd Mayweather hasn’t come together yet. While he waits for Mayweather to face Mike Tyson — scheduled for April 25 — Pacquiao will stay active by facing former world champion Ruslan Provodnikov a week earlier at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao had been considering a rematch with Barrios or even a shot at Rolly Romero’s title, but instead opted to keep busy with this ten-round exhibition. The fight will headline what’s being billed as an evening of ‘world championship boxing’.
Carl Froch and John Fury continue heated exchange with bizarre ‘worm-eating’ video
Monday’s press conference for Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov took an unusual turn when John Fury made the event about himself, while Carl Froch stayed composed throughout the chaos.
The former world champion eventually responded, poking fun at Fury’s fighting credentials by suggesting he hasn’t faced anyone of note in years. Froch even floated the idea of a bout between them under the Misfits Boxing banner, despite their clear size difference.
Fury answered back by posting an odd video in which he claimed to eat worms during a run, adding another strange chapter to their ongoing feud.
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