Two and a half years ago Gina Carano was on top of the WMMA world. A muay thai fighter with looks to kill, she had all the qualities needed to become a megastar. Then she faced the unstoppable force that is Cristiane Santos and the rest as they say is history. Gina walked away from the sport to film the upcoming Steven Soderbergh movie 'Haywire' leaving everyone wondering if she'd ever return. Her scheduled bout this summer was cancelled without any explanation and it seemed like even Strikeforce founder Scott Coker had no idea if Carano would ever return whenever he was asked.
This weekend at UFC 141 Gina Carano finally appeared at a MMA event. Unfortunately it was as a spectator. Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting caught up with Carano to find out when fans can expect to see her back in the cage. Unfortunately, Gina was unable to give a definitive answer as her entire acting career is dependent on the success of "Haywire". If the movie is a box office success it's very likely that our last memory of Gina Carano in MMA will be of her getting smashed by Cris Cyborg. She also addresses the ongoing war of words between Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey over who is using their looks more to fill the void left when Carano walked away from the sport. It is a 15 minute
Interview after the jump...
0 recs | 119 comments
Sort of interested to see this flick. I doubt it will be anything ground breaking, but seems like a boneheaded action movie to kill some time. Plus, it is Gina…
mountaineers101 - January 3, 2012
I'm hoping for a nude scene or ten.
Maybe some jelly that I’m not ready for that becomes gifworthy.
Soderbergh is too inconsistent for me to know what to expect.
menckenstein - January 3, 2012
uhhh
it’s by Soderbergh so I highly doubt it will be boneheaded.
Democritus - January 3, 2012
He's really inconsistent
Matthew Roth - January 3, 2012
I guess so
but context is important. For instance, he was used to making small budget films and was interested in trying a big studio picture so he took on Oceans 11, after another sequel he sort of retaliated and made Bubble, complete with non-actors and an incredibly small budget. He likes to experiment and I appreciate it so I’m really interested to see his take on the action genre.
Democritus - January 3, 2012
I’ve been hearing great things about it from movie snob types that usually turn their nose up at MMA and action flicks. It screened at the AFI Fest a couple months back and got lots of positive feedback there too.
Rob Young - January 3, 2012
He practically defines the word.
Diz D - January 3, 2012
Sometimes he is absolute crap (Ocean’s Eleven, The Girlfriend Experience)
sometimes he is good (Traffic, Contagion)
“inconsistent” is a fair assessment
phantom5691 - January 3, 2012
I wouldn’t classify Ocean’s 11 as crap. While it wasn’t a groundbreaking artistic masterpiece, it was decent for a major studio popcorn flick.
Steve4192 - January 3, 2012
It was entertaining
joker24 - January 3, 2012
12 was an unmitigated disaster
woomikee - January 3, 2012
It was, but 12 & 13 were clearly just a case of everyone involved just showing up to collect a paycheck. That’s what happens when you make a commercially successful movie and the studio wants to squeeze every last dime out of the franchise.
Steve4192 - January 3, 2012
i expect very very few movies to be artistic masterpieces – I’m not holding it to that standard at all.
having said that, i would classify it as crap
phantom5691 - January 3, 2012
Ugh...
The Girlfriend Experience is the worst thing on Netflix. Go ahead, try to prove me wrong.
beeran - January 3, 2012
Is Battlefield Earth on there?
Diz D - January 3, 2012
I recognized Sasha Grey and thought I'd give it a chance.
I wanted to check out her, um, artistic merits.
alicks - January 3, 2012
I think Soderberg is just "intrigued" by Gina
Like he was with pornstar-star Sasha Grey in Girlfriend Experience
yellopanda - January 4, 2012
No great expectations for the Movie, although considering the trailers I have seen her acting is at best pedestrian.
dandeman - January 3, 2012
The critics have liked it so far. Gina's acting supposedly isn't bad either.
lolumad - January 3, 2012
Gina is very cute
Doesn’t seem very datable though.
discoandherpes - January 3, 2012
What makes you say that?
savik - January 3, 2012
She just seems like a sweet girl that you would have no long term future with.
discoandherpes - January 3, 2012
feel the same
nice looking coat with no stuffing
liptondrift - January 3, 2012
BTW Kit Cope did an interview on Sherdog about Gina and it is pretty funny. He is very candid about their relationship.
discoandherpes - January 4, 2012
Can you remember when?
Can’t search interviews on that site
Cunny - January 4, 2012
speak for yourself, lol
Rob Young - January 3, 2012
what he said
phantom5691 - January 3, 2012
she can kick my ass anytime
biggant - January 3, 2012 via mobile
Yeah, she should just admit she is retired.
TheLastEmpress - January 3, 2012
she should come back & fight Liddel or Forrest
liptondrift - January 3, 2012
Do you mean
Tito? Or Gina? There was just an article about Tito being interested in fighting either of them for his retirement fight.
Un Sandpiper - January 3, 2012
...
Sugel Mendoza - January 3, 2012
So, a shooting star in MMA who leaves when things get tough?
’Never thought Gina Carano and Brock Lesnar would have so much in common.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
True
They both folded when they got hit hard as well.
discoandherpes - January 3, 2012
I mean she was competitive with Cyborg until she got cracked hard once. Then it was all over.
discoandherpes - January 3, 2012
In a way, she's a much bigger disappointment.
Brock Lesnar, at the very least, energized an era of prosperity for the UFC as a whole. Gina left just when she was making a real impact in getting women’s MMA some serious notice from the public.
She should just retire and stop pretending that she’s still a mixed martial artist.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
she had as much impact on MMA as porn for the dvd sales
liptondrift - January 3, 2012
She’s pretty and has a nice smile, but she doesn’t seem like she can carry a conversation.
chadpitt74 - January 3, 2012
joe dirt
liptondrift - January 3, 2012
bah, I’m sure she won’t be back. She can’t cut to 135 where there’s more competition and Cyborg at 145 just means another beating.
squaresphere - January 3, 2012
Going the Roger Huerta route
Will be back fighting for Bellator or something smaller org.
BrandtShaft! - January 3, 2012
insert complimentary gif of gina carano bitting her lip....
That clip reminds me of a porn star right before she get a facial.
RECE ROCK - January 3, 2012
*sigh
What’s sad is that I know exactly what you mean. Hypothetical question: How would you handle a situation with your little sister, niece or daughter if you found out that they started doing porn? I don’t mean like if they already had like 30 scenes under their belt because by then I think I’d just be like fuck it, I mean like if you found out while they had just done scene 3.
SentientAndroid - January 3, 2012
i’d make her box me
nastyem - January 3, 2012
Internet win
pud333 - January 3, 2012
It's the houston way.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
i laughed until i cried.
the-gentle-way - January 3, 2012 via mobile
Scene 3 or scene 30 it's already a done deal... youssss a Hoooooe.
Sister… I would disown, & explain to my parents hoes dont get inheritance.
Daughter… chained to the radiator for the rest of her life, with occasional pressure washer shower.
Niece…buy my sibling the pad lock , a chain & a pressure washer & explain how to keep my niece locked up for the rest of her life.
RECE ROCK - January 3, 2012
How very Shari'a of you.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
Shari'a?... like shoplift & get your hand cut off type shit?
RECE ROCK - January 4, 2012
That lip bite is so obviously done on purpose. Contrived sexiness is not sexy.
However, I wouldn’t say no. Just sayin’.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
It's definitely on purpose.
She only has to do it 30 times in one interview to make her point.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
Or...
it could well be a nervous tick…now, that is totally unsexy…
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
If it's a nervous tick, then that's a different thing altogether.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
it is
if you have always seen her interviews you can tell she is shy and uncomfortable in front of the camera.
mikeI981j - January 3, 2012
What are her hands playing with?
chadpitt74 - January 3, 2012
She is surprisingly shy, check out her body language at 9:00 when Ariel confronts her about being so hard to reach. She covers up her chest and folds her arms defensively.
Democritus - January 3, 2012
She's an actress.
Considering how close her movie is to debuting, the whole “shy girl” routine works great for the media cameras.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
I don’t think her shyness is an act, she has always seemed shy in interviews or when the camera pans over to her during an event.
keyboardwarrior - January 3, 2012
True, it's been a critical asset of her public persona for years.
If she came off like a hyper confident, over-aggressive alpha bitch, MMA fans wouldn’t find her nearly as endearing.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
I don’t think it is contrived. Ronda Rousey is not shy in the least yet many mma fans are enamored with her
keyboardwarrior - January 3, 2012
she is when chaels around.
gspmademegay - January 3, 2012
:(
Oh where oh where could my Ronda be?
The Sonnen took her away from me
Now I’m real angry – Andy please beat his butt
So he can’t see my Ronda with his eyes – swelled shut.
/cochran
menckenstein - January 3, 2012
beautiful stuff
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Chael must be put down.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
Mia Hamm of MMA
She reminds me so much of Mia Hamm. Everyone wants her to be the flagship person of the sport, and she’s so shy and uncomfortable in interviews. Personable and nice but not a spotlight-seeker, for better or for worse.
Beau Dure - January 3, 2012
Made me google her.
How dare you?
Also, you are absolutely right.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
Yeah that is a pretty on point comparison.
Kwisatz Haderach - January 3, 2012
Ronda Rousey is the Hope Solo of MMA
yellopanda - January 4, 2012
Except that Hope Solo is pretty hot.
Kwisatz Haderach - January 4, 2012
I feel bad for her as much as it’s easy to pick her apart. She’s swimming in deep water, & by the look of her mma career, when the heat is on she wilts. She should have just become a homemaker
liptondrift - January 3, 2012
Yes, because homemaker is the only other option for women. Jesus.
woomikee - January 3, 2012
yes
Cunny - January 4, 2012
"As much as I'd love to be the best female MMA fighter in the world, you can't force that."
Translation:
“As much as I’d like to think I’m a great fighter, you can’t ignore the fact that I was beating up no-name, overmatched opponents until Cyborg clowned me.”
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
Fighting no-name fighters in WMMA is not really a fair criticisms. There are like 5 female fighters worth knowing
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Actually, there's at least 50.
http://www.mmarising.com/rankings/unified-womens-mixed-martial-arts-rankings/
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
I disagree, those rankings are so volatile, near meaningless when you have a 2-2 fighter in the top ten. there’s just not enough depth and not enough girls are in SF
They need to bring over Milana Dudieva and Romy Russyen
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Fair enough.
Though I think that criticism really only applies to two divisions, and strawweight is the weirdest of them all.
But I fully agree that Strikeforce just isn’t doing enough to sign really good fighters — just prospects that they want to build through a lackluster brand.
McKinley B. Noble - January 3, 2012
That’s the most frustrating part, that they aren’t bringing in the more developed female fighters from over in Europe.
The girls the do sign, just aren’t the type that have had any significant impact on the MMA scene (I am think Maija Kujala and Julia Budd here)
I was pissed when Nunes lost to Davis, Nunes was such a viable contender.
But they need to put India Gomes against Romy Russyen, then at least have someone to fight Cyborg this year
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Can't stand Helwani
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
i find the size of his head a bit disturbing. i suspect he may be hydrocephalic
phantom5691 - January 3, 2012
that's what..
Tito said
chillnnsht - January 3, 2012
speaking of things Tito says, he said some funny shit to Ariel this year
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Tito has a lot of shit. Not all of it funny.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
his trash talk is awkward, but he has had some funny moments.
What happened with Helwani, is like Ariel asked a question, and Tito is just like I don’t like you so I am not gonna answer you
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
Tito is more unintentionally funny.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
Tito normally ain’t so good with the finding the words right to be used
Robert V-U - January 3, 2012
That was funny. But then uncle Dana told Tito to answer it, and he was like “OK I’ll answer it but only for you Dana”. That just made him seem like Dana’s bitch instead..
Horselover Fat - January 3, 2012
She's not one of the few people who can wear a fedora.
Warbreezy - January 3, 2012
She is.
You be quiet.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
The thing about fedoras is
They make normal people look douchey, but make douchey people cool and mysterious.
Warbreezy - January 3, 2012
Nuh Uh
Akira Corrassani (however you spell his name) is pretty damn douchey and he doesn’t look anything close to cool or mysterious in a fedora
jlim4 - January 3, 2012
Chris Brown is a douche
But him in a Fedora and he looks cool.
Warbreezy - January 4, 2012
Justin.
Fucking.
Timberlake.
Looks cool as shit in his fedoras. Usher rocks them too, but I just don’t like that guy…
SentientAndroid - January 4, 2012
That's exactly what I'm talking about.
Douche+Fedora=cool
Normal person+Fedora=dorky.
Warbreezy - January 4, 2012
Soderbergh movies are so overrated.
Especially with a January release, this thing is gonna suck. Although she does kick the shit out of Channing Tatum, so that’s always a plus.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
Hopefully it doesn't suck as bad as the last MMA-related movie I watched
Redbelt I want my money back!!!
menckenstein - January 3, 2012
Did you see Warrior?
That was pretty decent.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
Heard good things from people who hated Don't Back Down and Never Surrender
Waiting for it to come to Netflix streaming.
menckenstein - January 3, 2012
It's a lazy Sunday afternoon Netflix movie for sure.
pud333 - January 3, 2012
theres a page
names mrkickass on facebook that can help you with warrior. 720p less than a gig.
JaeeJaee - January 3, 2012
named
JaeeJaee - January 3, 2012
She's like the female Brock Lesnar but with a sunny disposition.
Both came in very well touted, with the casuals riding their cottals and not entirely comfortable with the media attention they got, both accomplished something that goes kinda more to the sport’s infrastructure and not so much towards athletic achievmnent, and both left the cage almost on a stretcher.
But…dayum, she’s got perfect bone structure!
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
...must...resist...
Can’t.
I’ve got some bone structure for her right here!!!! [DX crotch chop]
menckenstein - January 3, 2012
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
You’re right both Gina and Lesner have an awful lot in common. Huge hype, huge promotion and when it came down to it they bolted when the going got tough. I can’t help but feel that Ronda is in the same category, I don’t think Ronda sticks around for much longer after her first loss.
jdark - January 3, 2012 via mobile
She's still an unknown quantity.
She may well turn to be the equivalent of a healthy Lesnar, or take a turn down Satoshi Ishii’s corner. We still don’t know.
What we do know is that she’s with a solid team, as of now. And that she’s got mad skills.
Unabomberman - January 3, 2012
i dont think so.
She is a life long martial artist.
the-gentle-way - January 3, 2012 via mobile
The critical buzz around Haywire is positive thus far.
It’s being described as a tight, stylish thriller with some very good action. Also, Gina’s acting is supposedly fairly decent.
lolumad - January 3, 2012
she is adorable
the-gentle-way - January 3, 2012 via mobile
Like a kitten on a cloud with bow.
Rundownloser - January 3, 2012
I'd hardly call the Cyborg Carana faced an "unstoppable force".
An unstopped force, sure, but Cyborg that night was far from unstoppable. What that fight demonstrated was how shallow WMMA was (and still is). Those two fighters were the top of their sport, and Cyborg pulled mount. And then Carano didn’t know what to do with mount and stood up.
I think you give Cyborg altogether too much credit in your description of their bout. Cyborg wasn’t some dominant behemoth who couldn’t be stopped. She handed her opponent a dominant position, and didn’t suffer as a result simply because her opponent had no idea what to do with it.
That fight shoud be all the evidence anyone needs to show that WMMA isn’t deep enough to exist within a major promotion.
Llewdor - January 3, 2012
Yeah, that fight was pretty awful.
discoandherpes - January 4, 2012
Gina is never returning to MMA
That one ass beating she got from Cyborg put her into unofficial retirement.
daftshadow - January 3, 2012
The question shouldn’t be will she return to mma but can Gina return to mma? Think about it she hasn’t fought in over 2 years the last time she won a fight was in 2008. She hasn’t trained consistently since leading up to her fight with Cyborg. On top of that she would have to train her butt of just to get back to the level she was at when she fought Cyborg and we all know how well that worked out, never mind adding to her skill set.
At this point it’s probably too late for Gina to come back to MMA especially to compete at the elite level.
jdark - January 4, 2012
It wasn't really an assbeating
She took one hard punch with a few seconds left in the round and covered up. If Carano was a decent grappler she could have probably won that fight.
discoandherpes - January 4, 2012
The only offense Gina managed in that fight was getting thrown into mount by sloppy TD’s beyond that it was completely one sided.
jdark - January 4, 2012 via mobile
Going out on a crazy-ass limb here
and saying she had some sort of drug problem. She mentions loving herself more, touches her nose/mouth a lot, and had those undisclosed personal problems. Plus I have been hearing about this movie forever. I know blockbusters can take 1-2 years to film, but this is probably not a true “blockbuster” and it seems to have taken forever to be completed.
Just throwing crazy shit out ’cause I am bored. I would like to see her fight again.
wmuk - January 3, 2012
Channing Tatum is like cancer for movies
discoandherpes - January 4, 2012
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