411 Fighter Profile: Gina Carano
Posted by Scott Kuczkowski on 09.30.2008
Women’s MMA is something that conjures up different images to different people. Today we’ll look at someone generally considered by the mainstream media as the face of women’s MMA, and what a face she is. Her name is Gina Carano.
Gina Carano
Nickname: "Crush/Conviction" Record: 6-0 Weight: 140 Height: 5'8" Hometown: Dallas County, Texas Association: Xtreme COuture Organizations: EliteXC, Strike Force, WPFC, WPF Accomplishments: Profiled in a feature story for the ESPN series E:60, and was voted "Hottest Woman In America" by Big Biz Magazine in the Spring of 2008 issue. On May 13, 2008, "Gina Carano" was the fastest-rising search on Google and third most searched person on Yahoo!. She is set to appear in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 as Natasha.
Introduction
"The face of women's MMA" isn't a title that people would expect to be worn by a women as beautiful as Carano. The typical fighter usually has their share of scars and hard times tattooed across their face. Training and fighting doesn't lend itself to keeping someone free of its affects. Gina Carano has been successful both inside and outside of the ring/cage and has maintained her grace and beauty the entire time. Though women's MMA is still considered a "sideshow" event to many fans, Carano has proven time and again that men aren't the only one capable to dealing out brutality.
Early Life
Carano was born in Dallas County, Texas, on April 16, 1982. Her father played for the Dallas Cowboys as a backup quarterback from 1977-1983 and for the USFL Pittsburgh Maulers as a starter in 1984. Gina graduated from Trinity High School in Las Vegas. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno for a year and then University of Nevada, Las Vegas for three, where she was a psychology student. After achieving a Muay Thai record of 12-1-1, Carano received an offer to participate in the first-ever sanctioned female MMA bout in Nevada.
Besides her fighting career, Carano is also on the TV show American Gladiators, where she plays "Crush".
Win, Kaitlin Young, TKO (doctor stoppage), Round 2, 3:00 EliteXC: Primetime, May 31, 2008
The Future
Gina is scheduled to face Kelly Kobald on October 4, 2008, at EliteXC: Heat. Kobald should be considered a tough opponent for Carano, as she is an extremely experienced fighter. Also in the future is potential main event fight with Christine "Cyborg" Santos, in a bout that will no doubt determine who is the best striker in women's MMA.
But I guess it makes sense that EXC is Protecting the "Face of Women's MMA" by not having that Face "Crushed" (See what I did there!) by the Cyborg!
Posted By: Guest#6982 (Guest) on September 30, 2008 at 09:23 AM
She can whoop some ass and look good doing it. I love this woman.
Posted By: Captain_America (Registered) on September 30, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Will you marry me... then kick my ass!?
Posted By: In Love (Guest) on September 30, 2008 at 06:23 PM
Saw her on the Late Late show other night, she was looking pretty good, and Craig had a great interaction with her. Hopefully they just don't feed oppenents to her.
Posted By: kinaj (Guest) on September 30, 2008 at 08:41 PM
