Netflix reports 12.4 million global viewers for Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight

Netflix’s recent combat sports event featuring Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano has made quite an impact, drawing in 12.4 million global viewers within 24 hours of the event. The global viewership peaked at nearly 17 million viewers, making it a significant event for Netflix.

In the United States alone, the event averaged 9.3 million viewers, with a peak of 11.6 million viewers when Rousey secured a quick victory over Carano in the first round. While these numbers are impressive, they fall short of some of Netflix’s previous promotions, such as the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua boxing match, which averaged 33 million viewers in December.

Netflix’s method of measuring viewer data for live events differs from traditional Nielsen data, making direct comparisons challenging. However, the success of the Rousey-Carano fight demonstrates the popularity of combat sports on the streaming platform.

Despite not reaching the same heights as some of Netflix’s biggest events, like the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight that attracted 60 million viewers in 2024, Rousey-Carano outperformed other fights on the platform. As Netflix continues to invest in combat sports, the presence of big names like Rousey remains crucial to drawing large audiences.

While there are still questions about the long-term sustainability of these events without star power, Netflix’s foray into combat sports seems to be a winning strategy. With millions of viewers tuning in to watch exciting matchups, it’s clear that Netflix has found a niche in the world of sports entertainment.