Gina Carano Still Holding out Hope for Eventual UFC Fight

by Michael Rome on Mar 25, 2009 6:08 PM EDT in MMA News

Steve Cofield put up part two of his interview with Gina Carano today:

It is almost certain that Carano's next fight will be for Strikeforce, I assume the negotiations have more to do with how many fights will be on the contract. However, it's still pretty clear she wants to fight on a UFC. She mentioned a meeting with Dana and Lorenzo, and said that was a possibility.

From what I understand, there are two competing schools of thought within the UFC on how to integrate Gina and women. One school is in favor of having a full women's division in WEC, and putting Gina Carano's fights, championship or not, on UFC PPV. The other school argues there aren't enough women for a good division, and they should just do two or three Gina fights a year as special attractions outside of any division. The obvious middle ground is to start with the latter and work toward the former.

I expect that Carano will fight on CBS this summer against Cyborg. From there, it's all up in the air.

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Damnit all to hell, I want to be behind this, but there just aren’t whole divisions of top tier talent in the sport yet. Would I love the UFC to start developing it? Yes. Do I think they will, as opposed to waiting for others to invest money into it and then sign everybody? No. Women’s MMA will have to sell some PPV’s first. I hope I am wrong.

by Derek Suboticki on Mar 25, 2009 6:12 PM EDT reply actions

I think that about sums it up.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Mar 25, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m still very hesitant in thinking that women’s MMA will ever be any sort of PPV draw beyond Carano. Carano is, IMO, a freak coincidence rather than any representation of any realistic expectation for the sport.

by Michaelthebox on Mar 25, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t see anything freak about it. She’s good looking and knows how to fight. There’s a lot more coming up, girls that are 16-19 now and packing gyms all across the country.

by Michael Rome on Mar 25, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions

She’s good looking and knows how to fight.

I’m no biologist, but my understanding is testosterone is damned valuable in kicking ass.

She’s a freak because she’s hot, can kick ass, and is fighting at a time when there is little competition in terms of enormous testosterone-laced monsters.

If girls like Gina, Michelle Waterson, and others remain common within the population of girl MMA fighters, then sure, female MMA can work as a draw over the long term. But I kind of suspect that the sport will be taken over by Cyborgs if enough money gets into it.

by Michaelthebox on Mar 25, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Thats the difference between womens boxing and womens MMA

Very few women can punch worth getting excited about… Kicking on the other hand is something women can do, (not on the same level as top male competition), but certainly better than some bum on the street. Enough to warrant watching the fight for more than just T&A. T&A is an awesome bonus though.

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 25, 2009 8:38 PM EDT up reply actions

T&A may very well be an essential bonus when it comes to drawing viewers.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Mar 25, 2009 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Which is, i think both true and sad.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Mar 26, 2009 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

I hate to say it, but I’m a lot more likely to watch women’s MMA if they’re attractive.

by Richard Wade on Mar 26, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s also worth noting that Carano’s stunning success in ratings and online interest comes with no hype on her opponents. Every Gina fight so far has been hyped as “Gina Carano fighting.” We all know that in the fight business, the real sell is “what happens when Fighter A fights Fighter B” and both fighters have some press behind them.

Gina doesn’t even have to be a PPV attraction. She could be a ratings draw for European shows they do on Spike, which have done quite average in the ratings lately.

by Michael Rome on Mar 25, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions

In sounds like what you’re saying is, right now, Gina is ‘attractive woman that’s actually good at MMA’, and in the future it will be ‘attractive women that are actually good at MMA’, and it’s only a matter of time.

As an American, I both resent your implication and wish to invest money in it.

by Derek Suboticki on Mar 25, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s exactly what I’m saying. Dana White always talks about how anywhere in the world, when people see 2 people fighting, they gravitate toward it. Now think about the reaction in high school when two girls fought. Then think about the reaction when it was two good looking girls. It may be unfair, but the appeal is natural. That’s what makes it different than the WNBA.

by Michael Rome on Mar 25, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

The level of all around competition in the WNBA

SUCKS too though. 1 on 1 sports will produce better competition as cream rises and all that. That and the WNBA girls are nasty looking 9 times out of 10

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 25, 2009 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Gina needs to be fighting somewhere she can be a champ, assuming she can take Cyborg. Strikeforce is the best place for her and for female MMA in general at this time.

She is talented and way hot, how many other female MMA fighters out there fall into that category? Gina can draw on TV but I’m not so sure she can draw PPV buys for the UFC just yet. Dana will let others spend the money to get the market in place before he jumps in.

by MMAcGyver on Mar 25, 2009 6:22 PM EDT reply actions

"They expressed interest in doing something with me"

Bing-bong… HELLO!

"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry

by Charles Awad on Mar 25, 2009 6:41 PM EDT reply actions

Uhhhh

I’m here to deliver a package – I mean pizza…

Gimme 1 round!

by ItBurnzWhenIP on Mar 25, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Gina said Strikeforce is where she belongs for the good of Womens MMA.
UFC just wants to do fights here and there and not have any divisions, which doesn’t really appeal to Gina. So, Strikeforce it is.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Mar 25, 2009 8:06 PM EDT reply actions

strikeforce wont sign gina unless she signs a four or five fight contract what would be the point of letting her fight cyborg on cbs and then letting her go to ufc

by keith133 on Mar 25, 2009 8:28 PM EDT reply actions

Woman division or nothing. Actually I don’t really feel the need to see her in the UFC, as long as she have the best competition, and I don’t think the UFC can do it (lol obviously).

by spectaa on Mar 25, 2009 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone who says there just aren’t enough good women in MMA to create a division doesn’t know jack about women’s MMA. I’ve been to top regional shows and have seen other women’s fights from around the world on YouTube and find the talent pool quite deep and growing everyday. I’ve seen first time female matches at Fatal Femmes Fighting in L.A. that showed more skill than a number of the fights featured on Ultimate Fighter, shockingly so. Recently, I saw a disgusting fight on WEC with Razor Rob where the ref almost called a “no contest” because Razor Rob and his opponent were not engaging. Women, no matter what skill level, almost always “bring it” and are entertaining and go at their opponent full force. To quote Tonya Evinger, “They may have pussies, but they don’t fight like one.”

by ferocitytv on Mar 26, 2009 1:38 AM EDT reply actions