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Gina Carano reveals why UFC fight with Ronda Rousey never happened, blames Dana White: ‘It made my life very difficult’

Before the rise of Ronda Rousey and women’s mixed martial arts as a whole, there was Gina Carano. During…

Before the rise of Ronda Rousey and women’s mixed martial arts as a whole, there was Gina Carano.

During a time when UFC CEO Dana White remained adamant that women would never be a part of his promotion, Carano made a name for herself competing under the Strikeforce and EliteXC banners. Before long, she became the most famous female fighter on the planet.

In 2009, she famously stepped inside the cage for a showdown with Cris Cyborg, headlining an event on Showtime that featured the likes of Gegard Mousasi, Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral, Gilbert Melendez, and Fabricio Werdum. Carano lost the bout, succumbing to a TKO in the final second of the opening round.

‘Conviction’ never formally announced her retirement from MMA after the loss, but she never fought again. However, it wasn’t due to a lack of trying.

Five years later, as Ronda Rousey was quickly becoming one of the biggest sports stars in the world, Carano liked the idea of a comeback fight against the then-UFC bantamweight champion. During a recent appearance on the PBD Podcast, Carano revealed that conversations with Dana White about making the fight happen were positive, but she ultimately blames him for it not coming to fruition.

“I needed six months,” Carano explained. “Because first of all, weight cutting for me during that time I would struggle because all of the women were in the 135 [pound] weight division and I could get down to 145 but there was only twice in my career where I got down to 136 and 139 and that is like chopping off a leg for me. It was so difficult for me but that’s where all the women were at that time because there wasn’t a lot of women.

“I sat down with Dana and [said] I wish you guys would have approached me five years ago because I’ve been waiting for this so I just need some time and I need you to keep it quiet, Dana. Keep it really quiet because I didn’t have a gym. I would have to go [re-immerse] myself in a gym, which when I go in a gym people put cameras on me and you have to find and build your team and I wasn’t living in Las Vegas, which is where my team was. So I was living in L.A. and it would have been hard and I needed to rebuild a team and do it right.

“Dana, and I love him now, he’s been amazing now but Dana’s Dana. He immediately started talking about it and it made my life very difficult to try and get to go into that” (h/t MMA Fighting).

On top of that, Carano was actively being courted by Hollywood after she landed the lead role in Haywire, an action thriller directed by Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh which was well received by critics and featured an immensely talented cast of actors.

“It is a very difficult thing to try and do both of those things at once,” Carano said about acting and fighting. “In my head, I’m just so passionate about the storytelling and the last couple of years I’ve just been passionate about trying to get back into that.”

After appearing in Deadpool opposite Ryan Reynolds, it was off to the races for Carano’s acting career. She had even earned herself a recurring role on the incredibly popular Disney+ series The Mandalorian and was in line for her own spinoff show before an ill-advised post on social media brought her budding film and television career to a crashing halt.

Gina Carano confident she would have won fabled fight Against Ronda Rousey

Of course, her fight with Ronda Rousey never came to be, but to this day, Gina Carano remains confident she would have come out on top.

“I do, absolutely [believe I would have won],” Carano said. “Because I pack a hell of a punch. I know how she punches. I punch like a trucker. [She would have the edge] on the ground obviously but I’m scramble. It’s no disrespect and I’m sure she would say the same thing that she would win, but that’s just something I know. After you’ve been punched like that, she got shook twice [by] Amanda Nunes and Holly Holm, I’m one of the hardest punchers that women’s mixed martial arts has ever seen.”

Though confident she would have finished Rousey inside the Octagon, Carano has nothing but respect for the UFC Hall of Famer. After all, Rousey often touted Carano as the reason she pursued mixed martial arts — something the former World MMA Awards’ Female Fighter of the Year never forgot.

“Ronda has just been such a respectful [person], she was such a little sh*t talker throughout her career, but the one person she didn’t really sh*t talk was me, really,” Carano said. “She really always did give me that tribute. To have not made the walk in the UFC and gotten to fight, to have the person that did really break down those barriers, that is very special to me and I think she’s a very special person.

“I think she gets a really bad [reputation] and people like to paint her as the bad guy, just because she likes to play the heel. She doesn’t mind playing the heel. It’s just certain people’s personalities but I think when you look deeper at the person that she is, which I watch and I study people, I think that’s a very special, special person.”

Ex-MMA fighter Gina Carano suing Disney and Lucasfilm after being fired from her role in The Mandalorian

Actress and former MMA fighter Gina Carano is looking to take Disney and Lucasfilm to task after she was…

Actress and former MMA fighter Gina Carano is looking to take Disney and Lucasfilm to task after she was fired from her supporting role on The Mandalorian over a tweet where she compared being a Republican to being a Jew during the Holocaust.

Carano is reportedly seeking $75,000 in damages and is also demanding to be recast as Cara Dune on the popular series set in the Star Wars universe where she regularly appeared during the first two seasons. During her run on the hit show, she regularly tussled with left-wingers on social media. So much so that plans for her to star in her own spin-off series on Disney+ were scrapped after she mocked mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic and made false accusations regarding voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election.

The straw that broke the camel’s back came in February 2021 when she likened being a Republican to being a Jew during the Holocaust.

“Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews,” the post read.

“How is that any different from hating someone for their political views.”

The hashtag #FireGinaCarano went viral shortly after. Disney and Lucasfilm acted swiftly, announcing that there were no plans to work with the former fighter in the future.

“Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future,” a Lucasfilm spokesperson said in a statement. “Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”

Carano was also dropped as a client by UTA (United Talent Agency), an agency spokesperson confirmed. However, UTA is not named in Tuesday’s court filing, which alleges that the Walt Disney Company was at fault for the agency dropping her.

Gina Carano Claims She Was Fired for Standing up to the ‘online bully mob‘

The 59-page civil suit, filed in California federal court, lays out allegations of wrongful termination and retaliation in a narrative brimming with Star Wars references.

“A short time ago in a galaxy not so far away, Defendants made it clear that only one orthodoxy in thought, speech, or action was acceptable in their empire, and that those who dared to question or failed to fully comply would not be tolerated,” the complaint begins (h/t BBC.com).

Carano claims she was fired “because she dared voice her own opinions… and stood up to the online bully mob who demanded her compliance with their extreme progressive ideology.” In a lengthy statement on X, Carano said she had been subjected to “a bullying smear campaign aimed at silencing, destroying & making an example out of me.”

“Artists do not sign away our rights as American citizens when we enter into employment,” she added while thanking Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul and owner of X, who has offered to pick up the tab for her lawsuit against The House of Mouse.

“Please let us know if you would like to join the lawsuit against Disney,” Musk wrote in response to Carano’s statement.

Gina Carano Reveals What Nick Diaz Once Told Her About Women Fighting

Female mixed martial arts pioneer Gina Carano has revealed what Nick Diaz once told her about women’s fighting. Carano was recently a guest on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” where she detailed an interaction she once had with the eldest Diaz brother during the prime of her fighting career. She revealed that Diaz admitted he wasn’t…

Continue Reading Gina Carano Reveals What Nick Diaz Once Told Her About Women Fighting at MMA News.

Female mixed martial arts pioneer Gina Carano has revealed what Nick Diaz once told her about women’s fighting.

Carano was recently a guest on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” where she detailed an interaction she once had with the eldest Diaz brother during the prime of her fighting career.

She revealed that Diaz admitted he wasn’t a fan of female fighting, but not in a sexist way, but more so in a way that it makes him uncomfortable. Carano was adamant that Diaz was very “sweet” and is simply “old fashioned.”

“I remember fighting on the same card as Nick Diaz. And he was sitting next to me and of course, I was just nervous because I absolutely adored him. Still do. I think he’s amazing. I just haven’t seen him in like a decade,” Carano said.

“So, we’re sitting there before a fight having our post-weigh-in dinner and he was like, ‘I gotta tell you, I don’t really like women fighting.’ Obviously, he didn’t say that. He’s like, ‘I don’t like what you do, I don’t like women fighting’ and I was like, ‘That’s okay, maybe you’re just a little old fashion.’”

“I was like, ‘Do you think my dad likes us? Do you think anybody in my family likes me fighting?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, old fashion. Okay, so I’m just old fashion’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, you just might be a little old-fashioned.’

“And then he was like, pulling out my chair and opening my door – to the next level. He was so sweet. He just needed to be told it’s okay, you don’t have to like it. It’s old-fashioned.”

Gina Carano ended her MMA career back in 2009 after suffering her first and only loss in the sport to Cris Cyborg. Since, she has begun a career in acting, which took a hit due to her open political views.

As for Diaz, he recently returned to the Octagon for the first time in six years when he rematched Robbie Lawler at UFC 266 this past September. Unfortunately, Diaz suffered a third-round TKO defeat when he decided to stop fighting after a knockdown.

Now, Diaz seems interested in returning to the Octagon again, with a plethora of possibilities being discussed.

What do you make of Gina Carano and the interaction she had with Nick Diaz about women’s fighting? Sound off in the comments section below!

Quotes via Middle Easy

Continue Reading Gina Carano Reveals What Nick Diaz Once Told Her About Women Fighting at MMA News.

Gina Carano Wants To Give Ronda Rousey “A Job”, Leaves The Door Open For A Future Fight

Gina Carano has not shut the door on a future fight with Ronda Rousey. Women’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano believes an outing with Ronda Rousey is always on the table although not very likely. The Elite XC and Strikeforce veteran has not competed in over a decade with her final appearance coming in August 2009. […]

Gina Carano has not shut the door on a future fight with Ronda Rousey.

Women’s MMA pioneer Gina Carano believes an outing with Ronda Rousey is always on the table although not very likely. The Elite XC and Strikeforce veteran has not competed in over a decade with her final appearance coming in August 2009.

Ronda Rousey is widely credited for the rise of women’s MMA in the mainstream. She kicked off the proceedings in the UFC despite president Dana White once stating that women would never fight in the promotion. ‘Rowdy’ became the biggest sensation in the sport rivaling only fellow superstar Conor McGregor and even eclipsing him at the time.

Ronda Rousey says she might return only for one opponent

Rousey’s stock in the sport plummeted after she dropped two in a row in her final bouts against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. Her reaction to the losses made it clear that she would be turning away from the community as she switched over to professional wrestling.

In a recent appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, ‘Rowdy’ said that she could return to fighting but only for one opponent.

“I mean, I’ve said it a million times,” Rousey said. “It’s not like it’s something new, but, for Gina, man. Gina Carano, she’s the reason why I got into fighting, she’s the reason why I knew it was a possibility.

“I will always be forever grateful…and if she ever was like, ‘Ronda, I wanna fight you tomorrow at 205 pounds,’ like whatever the hell she’d want – I’m not saying she’s 205 pounds – if she wanted to come into my backyard and do the Rocky thing or, you know, ding, ding and we just do it in the backyard, I don’t care.”

“I will fight Gina wherever she wants and if she doesn’t want to forever, leave (that there). It’s a respect thing, not like a, ‘f*ck you. I’m not coming to get you’. It’s just like hey, if you ever wanna pull that card out, it’s there. I love her. Thank you, Gina, for everything you’ve done.”

Gina Carano wants to hire Rousey & leaves the door open for a fight

‘Conviction’ shared her reaction to Rousey’s statements in an appearance on Unfiltered with Dan Bongino. She left the door open for a fight down the line. Keeping that option open for herself even if it doesn’t happen is the way to go for the Hollywood star who also said that she would like to hire the former UFC women’s champion in one of her movies.

“I want to give Ronda Rousey a job in one of my movies so maybe there is something we can do there.” (h/t Overtime Heroics)

A potential showdown between the two women would make for an epic fight given their status in the history of the sport. Rousey still competes in pro wrestling under WWE while Carano continues to increase her creative footprint with more movies.

Gina Carano Responds To Rousey’s Comments About Potential Fight

Gina Carano has responded to UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey’s recent comments about the one fight she would return for. Carano’s name came up when Rousey was asked during a recent appearance on The Kurt Angle Show about the possibility of returning to MMA. She revealed that there’s only one opponent she would return…

Continue Reading Gina Carano Responds To Rousey’s Comments About Potential Fight at MMA News.

Gina Carano has responded to UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey’s recent comments about the one fight she would return for.

Carano’s name came up when Rousey was asked during a recent appearance on The Kurt Angle Show about the possibility of returning to MMA. She revealed that there’s only one opponent she would return for and specifically pointed to Carano.

Rousey also clarified that there’s no bad blood between her and Carano and that she respects Carano for paving the way for her in women’s MMA. Carano fought for the inaugural Strikeforce women’s featherweight title against Cris Cyborg, losing via first-round knockout.

Before that, she had won seven straight fights over the likes of Kaitlin Young and Tonya Evinger. During a recent appearance on Unfiltered with Dan Bongino, Carano didn’t rule out the possibility of facing Rousey in a return fight.

“You know what? Just never put it past me. It could happen,” Carano said. “It would be six months from now because I have a lot of stuff I need to do …. I really want to create, I want to direct, I want to produce… I want to give Ronda Rousey a job in one of my movies so maybe there is something we can do there.”

Carano transitioned to a career in show business following her loss to Cyborg. She has appeared in highly-acclaimed shows such as The Mandalorian on Disney+ and most recently was featured in the movie Terror on the Prairie alongside UFC fan favorite Donald Cerrone.

As for Rousey, she is currently enjoying a second stint with the WWE, where she currently reigns as the Smackdown women’s champion.

At 40 years old, it’s unlikely we’ll see Carano fight in MMA following a 13-year hiatus. However, the chapter of her MMA career may not be completely closed if a fight with Rousey is offered.

Do you think we’ll ever see Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey fight in MMA again?

Continue Reading Gina Carano Responds To Rousey’s Comments About Potential Fight at MMA News.

Ex-MMA Star Gina Carano Talks ‘Dangerous’ Cancel Culture: ‘I Was Fighting For My Name’

Former professional mixed martial arts turned actor, Gina Carano has claimed that the climate of ‘cancel culture’ is a “dangerous’ one, and insists that she was at one point, fighting to keep her career alive amid recent backlash. Gina Carano, a former EliteXC and Strikeforce feature, headlined a Strikeforce event back in 2009 against former […]

Gina Carano, a former EliteXC and Strikeforce feature, headlined a Strikeforce event back in 2009 against former UFC, Invicta, and Strikeforce champion – current Bellator featherweight best, Cris Cyborg, suffering a buzzer beating first round knockout loss in the pair’s inaugural title fight.

Ending her career since, Carano had established a mixed martial arts record of 7-1 – handing notable defeats to the likes of Rosi Sexton, Julie Kedzie, Tonya Evinger, and Kaitlin Young.

Linked continually with a move to the UFC even though Carano is firmly retired, the 40-year-old has found herself tied to a potential sport return against inaugural UFC bantamweight titleholder and fellow Strikeforce veteran, Ronda Rousey since hanging up her gloves.

Set to feature alongside former UFC lightweight title challenger, Donald Cerrone in an upcoming production from The Daily Wire – titled ‘Terror on the Prairie’, Carano was infamously removed from her role in the Star Wars spinoff, The Mandolorian by Lucasfilm back in February of last year, as she compared the US government, politics, and measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic to that of the life of a Jewish during the Holocaust and living in Nazi Germany.

Speaking with FOX News regarding the criticizm and backlash she had received for her comments, Carano claimed that cancel culture was a “dangerous” issue in society today.

“When I was cancelled, I felt like everything was turned against me,” Gina Carano said. “Everything that I loved was just against me, I was fighting for my name. I just felt like everything was stripped from me. …”

“I feel like cancel culture is extremely dangerous,” Gina Carano continued. “I think it starts putting us on the line of kind of like a social credit score. And… corporations are going to win the battle. They’re going to win the social credit score. They’re going to win the popularity battle because they have access to manipulating even the data, but they have access to manipulating the masses, whereas that robs from the individual.”
Carano claimed that in her opinion, she did not deserve to receive cancelling, but insisted that she was aware “how the machine works”.

Gina Carano believes she did not deserve to be the subject of cancel culture last year

“In my case, I don’t think that anything I did deserved cancel culture,” Gina Carano said. “I don’t think that it deserved being smeared by the Hollywood press. But I understand how that machine works. I understand how awful the media has been in perpetuating this awful bullying and lies. They can just rain that down on you and not have any of it be true. I feel like this was a genuine case of cancel culture for now towing hte narrative line… There’s consequences. You can’t just act a fool with your employer. I don’t think that was the case (with me). But I do feel like people are speaking up (for) my case.”