After scoring a TKO in a historic fight with the very talented Kaitlin Young last night, Gina Carano seemed somewhat unenthused when she was being interviewed by CBS reporter Gus Johnson.
Gary Shaw’s pretty face of Women’s MMA looked somewhat unhappy. It seemed like even though she won, her conscious was telling her that she had lost.
Maybe even more historic than the inception of female MMA on national television, was that the end of the match marked the first time when looking at Gina Carano was actually saddening.
Critics have been able to do the unthinkable—their weighty words have managed to play mind games with a former psychology major.
With much pre-fight talk concerning her inability to make weight, Carano professed that she needed to get back in the gym and vowed to become an even better fighter.
So here’s an instance where the adage about actions speaking louder than words had dual meaning. Her words post-fight did not do well to capture the beauty or excitement that the fight emulated.
On the other end, Carano’s actions in the past deem her words irrelevant and have her skeptics waiting for future results. She seems afraid of greatness—too scared to take the proper steps to reach her potential.
Maybe she doesn’t realize that her fighting at her peak would be a scary proposition not for her, but for her opponents to handle.
With new opportunities coming to her left and right, it is Carano's task to take the proper road to greatness. This does not necessarily mean stepping away from the gladiator arena, or the spotlight.
However, a real life red alert must be sent to warn Carano that putting too much on her plate may distract her from achieving the goals most important to her. More importantly, she must block out all the criticism, and focus on herself alone.
Being put on a pedestal inevitably means that critics, haters, and many others will continue to discredit her every chance they get. But that's where greatness comes into play, because if she learns how to keep in balance her fame and frame, Carano's significance to the sport's world will be measured on a different scale all together. Her looks and ability may have the ability to transform how some look at female athletes in general.
In any event, this does not take away from her uncanny ability to perform on the big stage. Both Kaitlin Young and Gina Carano should be proud of what they accomplished Saturday night—their epic battle put a lot of critics of women’s MMA to shame.
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4 months ago
I just wish Gina wasnt fighting in E-Lame XC. I think she needs to find a solution to the weight issue, because even though she only had three weeks to train, she still should have been able to make weight. Hell, I know fighters that have almost had to focus their whole training camps on making weight. So some of the criticism is warranted, in my opinion.
However, having said that, she looked like she was well on her way to a beatdown of Young even with the lame stoppage. The ladies put on the second best fight of the night behind Lawler-Smith and she is worth watching, even if she isnt the best female fighter in the world as Gary Shaw claims.
4 months ago
I think she is pulling out of the MMA sport in general. She is getting deals to be a pretty face more than a kick ass fighter, and it is probably paying more.
4 months ago
those deals are based on her being an MMA fighter though, and I think she would be wise to continue her MMA career, at least until she does enough to be considered a great. I think if she commited herself to the sport, won another 6 or 7 fights without losing, fought the best females out there, and won a title, she could then retire at an early age from the sport and chase those better opportunities.
4 months ago
I think there are a couple of female fighters in Bodog who could beat her, like Tara Larosa, Amanda Buckner or Julie Berezikova. Nobody has really tested Carano's ground game yet.
Gina looked a little tired at the end of the second round, and I wonder what would have happened in the third. Still, it was a good showing, and I wouldn't mind seeing Young fight again either.
Carano is doing what she can to make money, and you can't blame her for using her looks and ability to get a step ahead of the competition. If she has a good manager or agent, I think she will be fine in balancing multiple career paths.
4 months ago
That Megumi Fujii is supposedly the best MMA fighter out there, with a record of 15-0. I want to see her fight.
from 4 months ago
Yeah, I forgot to add Fujii to my list. She is definitely at the top of the female MMA food chain. There are lots of good videos of female fights online, and I find her to be one of the most entertaining.
North America needs its own version of SmackGirl. Once the stable of top women fighter grows and they gain market appeal, I think an all-female promotion will be established stateside.
This way the talent pool is all in one promotion, ensuring the highest-quality fights instead of dispersing the fighters among different organizations. This might take awhile though, as the first female fight on live t.v. just happened on this Elite XC card.
I think women are capable of providing fast-paced, entertaining, skillful matches. Carano and Young proved that. Once male MMA becomes more accepted in mainstream media, the door will open for female fighters to really establish their mark.
4 months ago
When I watched the fight against Kaitlin Young, I was simply astonished how well Gina moved and how natural mma seemed for her. She is no doubt a bad ass women. I can't wait to see her fight again but also would like to see her in other venues such as acting. She would have made the perfect Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat. I like the fact she is doing other avenues, because I think she realizes you can't fight forever thus proving to me she not only has beauty, and athletic skills but an intelligence.
4 months ago
What I admire most about Gina is that she can be a tough ass fighter without losing her sense of humor and engaging personality. She doesn't get in your face and act like a "tough girl" to draw attention to her ranking in the sport. She is humble and able to take criticism in a very charming self effacing manner. I still feel she is a very good role model for young girls like my granddaughter who loves karate and wants to be accepted in the sport.
4 months ago
I agree with all said. Interviewers and press do have a fucked up talent of inputting mind games in athletes, often by saying things or bringing up shit that shouldnt be brought up. One thing that pissed me off was the interview right before her fight where the reporter or whatever you call em added more pressure on Gina by telling her that everyone holds her up to high expectations. Hearing stuff like that often puts the impression in athletes that they have to exceed that expectation and that often throws them off their game. I doubt Gina will have any problems making weight in the future, but she has to keep training and keep all that outside influences away. Dont listen to the "pretty face of MMA" shit. And I give much props to Gina for not letting that get to her so far. Best of luck to her in the future
4 months ago
Damn! She's so HOT! I'd help her work off the extra pounds.
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