Gina Carano Is a Great Fighter

by Michael Rome on Oct 5, 2008 3:13 AM EDT in News Comment 26 comments

Gina Carano is one of the most criticized fighters among hardcore fans, and while there is no excuse for all the problems making weight, it's unfair to focus on that at the expense of her performances.

Tonight the difference between Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice was truly on display. Both were chosen as the faces of EliteXC, and both were given a lot of hype, but only one was able to deliver. Gina displayed much-improved takedown defense and excellent muay thai on her way to victory tonight over a much more experienced opponent in Kelly Kobald.

It seems like hardcore fans are always quick to dismiss her exciting and impressive performances in order to talk about her weight issues. Just 4 months ago almost everyone turned against Gina and predicted that Kaitlyn Young would destroy her, but it was Gina that picked Kaitlyn apart with ease. Then everyone that picked against her decided to just rip her for the weight issues after the fight.

If EliteXC survives long enough to put on Carano vs. Cyborg, I suspect we'll see a number of people predicting impending doom for the "overrated" Gina Carano. And then, if she beats Cyborg, people will just ignore the accomplishment. Hopefully they just fight at 145 so we can focus on the fight and not the weight.

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Agreed.

I like how everyone who fights Gina says that they’re going to “make her look face less pretty,” but it’s always Gina who ends up doing the painting.

by I Can't Feel My Face on Oct 5, 2008 3:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

She still has a long way to go with her hands. Her hands, especially her right, seem way too textbook and you can see it coming from a long way away. However, she is the top of the female MMA crop. No question.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Oct 5, 2008 3:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think her best punch tonight was the left hook, she was just owning Kobold with it over and over. It’s clear she favors the overhand right and that’s a potential opening for Cyborg.

by Michael Rome on Oct 5, 2008 3:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. She had a very beautiful check left hook that she repeatedly was tagging Kobold with. Her overhand right is very textbook and even a tad loopy. Like you said, it is very clear that she favors it and it is a potential opening for Cyborg. A woman like Cyborg won’t make the same mistakes that Kobold did in the standup portion of the fight. I’d be very surprised if their fight, Carano and Cyborg, went to the ground at all. But if it does go to the ground, Cyborg holds a pretty distinct advantage in my opinion. Carano is learning the ground game but it is still nowhere near Cyborg’s. To be honest, I don’t know who I’d pick in that fight. Cyborg’s muay thai is crisper and more technical while Gina’s is more adaptive and powerful. I might go with Gina just because I like her more but Cyborg is definitely no slouch. That fight has the makings of a main event bout on primetime television. And if it is, I hope they make it a five minute per round fight (and for the title). I’m just sad to see Alvarez not fight on primetime television. That guy would capture the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere. He’s been involved in the two best fights of the year, in my opinion.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Oct 5, 2008 3:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you’re off on her muay thai being more technical. I’ve heard Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, and others off the record all pick Gina standing in this fight. Cyborg’s muay thai is closer to reckless, I suspect she will be picked apart.

by Michael Rome on Oct 5, 2008 4:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Cyborg strikes are harder. I can’t help but feel that Cyborg is the stronger of the two. Maybe it’s a trick of the camera.

by zeroword on Oct 5, 2008 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A textbook right hand is a GOOD thing

I think you mean it looks forced… And it does sometimes. Her timing is off a little with it she doesn’t turn her hip over enough and her hand turns downward too much with the arm bent. The elbow should be directly behind the hand

by skwirrl on Oct 6, 2008 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

directly behind it in terms of up or down… it can be a little out to the side

by skwirrl on Oct 6, 2008 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

she seems to really like using rubber gaurd, went for a gogo today but gus johnson called it a triangle lol

by I Can't Feel My Face on Oct 5, 2008 3:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In Gus’ defense, he saw her go for “mission control” and assumed she was trying to setup a triangle. As soon as the shin slid underneath the chin, Frank properly corrected him and said she was going for the gogoplata. I give Gus credit. His voice makes it more exciting than it is at times. And that’s one of the keys.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Oct 5, 2008 3:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If she was going for mission control, she did it with the wrong hand. Looked almost like a Bryan Williams guard.

by zeroword on Oct 5, 2008 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He also called the rear naked choke a guillotine.

by mythbuster on Oct 5, 2008 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Carano is winning me over with her fights, but the weight issue is still a big deal for me. It’s completely unprofessional for her to continually have this problem.

by Mike Fagan on Oct 5, 2008 3:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Weight issues are important in this sport

Thats why everybody rips Thiago Alves for not making his weight after suffering an injury fighting Hughes and says he doesn’t deserve a title shot.

I hear this time after time on every MMA blog. Not making weight is unprofessional, it’s their job.. But when it comes to a chick, everything is dismissed.. Who, in the history of MMA, has had to way in 3 times within an hour, to make weight?

Gina is a great fighter, we all know that.. I just love when a UFC fighter doesn’t make weight, people say he needs to find another job.. But when it comes to Carano, she is blessed for her performances, and forgived for her excuses.

by steveoc24 on Oct 5, 2008 4:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Aren’t we all ignoring the fact that she did make weight?

by Michael Rome on Oct 5, 2008 4:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn’t she mention the fact that she might step up to 145? So.. is EXC going to create another imaginary weight division so they can still promote her as the “face of woman’s MMA”? Seriously, at what point does this become so ridiculous where its so obvious?!?!… Not like it matters, Gina faces Cyborg next.

I’m not bashing your article Rome. I love your posts, that’s why I comment. Keep up the good work.

by steveoc24 on Oct 5, 2008 5:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem here is that 140 is the imaginary weight division.

145 is featherweight for men, it should be for women. Why should they have different weight classes?

by Phildo on Oct 5, 2008 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

by the way..

isn’t it sad when we have to talk about her actually “MAKING WEIGHT”!?!?

by steveoc24 on Oct 5, 2008 5:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

by mythbuster on Oct 5, 2008 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree with the post’s analysis of Carano. I actually heard Baszler say on Sherdog radio that she felt Cyborg was far too sloppy to be effective on the feet against Gina. Shayna also said that she thought it would go to the clinch and eventually the ground as Gina would defend the against knees and Cyborg would take her down That’s where I feel like thing’s are less certain for Gina. Cyborg effectively wrestled Shayna and defended against the sub. That’s important to note in my book. I would give Gina the edge at this point, but I think Cyborg would be a huge test.

The thing is that a certain amount of criticism is going to be heaped on Gina as long as detractors can find something semi-tangible to focus on. The weight issues certainly are fodder, but they’re important, too. I also don’t like how washed out she looks after her cutting. She made weight, yes, but I fear the cuts are eventually going to hurt her in the fight, or she may be hurting herself with the cuts. Then, there’s the circus atmosphere around the whole event which overshadows her fighting. I just wish Gina would fight at 145 or 150. I think she should also stop trying to minimize the effect of her looks. They’ve definitely helped Gina, so some people are always going to point to that and minimize her abilities. She’ll never please a chunk of fans, and that’s a fact. Gina can only do what she does well inside the cage, be herself outside the cage (because that’s really what people like about her), and minimize issues that take away from her abilities.

You really can’t buck the scorn of vocal critics. In the end, it’s just a waste of energy.

by Cannon Jacques on Oct 5, 2008 7:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WHAT!?

Who has GIna fought? WHO?!???!?!??!

Sorry I tend not to troll and do the whole internet angry ramble thing, but she is no Tara LaRossa and until she fights Cyborg or an opponent that hasn’t been out of the cage for a year, or isn’t moving up in weight than I say no sir to the comment she is a great fighter.

Sidenote: Gina seriously legit Muy Thai skills but she still has to prove MMA skills against a real opponent.

watchkalibrun.com

by Zak Woods on Oct 5, 2008 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Cyborg’s blitzkrieg muay Thai won’t work against Carano’s better pedigree.

But Gina’s problems are just weight related. She also continually fights smaller women. While Kobald has a history of fighting at heavier weight classes, that was something equivalent to Joe Riggs being a heavyweight. For Gina to fight women like Rosi Sexton or Julie Kedzie is a gross mismatch in size. I agree that Carano’s talent is considerable, but so are the favors being done to her by promoters for her weight issues and opposition’s size.

by Luke Thomas on Oct 5, 2008 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is a joke.

I watched the Carano fight last night and Kobald was robbed! What a terrible decision. How does Kobald lose a decesion in a fight that she was clearly controlling every aspect of. Kobald countered every strike Carano attempted by attacking Carano’s fists with her head and was also able to stifle Carano’s take downs by holding her up against the fence and delivering brutal foot stomps. Seriously, am I the only one who saw this fight clearly. I was impressed with how Kobald was able to take this travesty in stride by wearing some really really cool sunglasses while the kangaroo court style decision was announced. I have lost my family farm because of these incompetent judges. I guess it just goes to prove once again that these things can’t be left in the hands of the judges. Next time Kobald should not be so merciful and should just deliver a boring 1st round KO instead of trying to put on a show for the fans. ; )

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Oct 5, 2008 12:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs