Why Gina Carano Will "Upset" Cyborg Santos at Strikeforce

I'm betting you haven't heard of Gina Carano, the mixed martial artist.

That doesn't mean you don't recognize the woman pictured above but, chances are, you know her as "Crush" from the American Gladiators reboot or "That sexy girl who posted in Maxim a few months back."

First and foremost, however, Carano is a fighter. Not just any fighter though. She is arguably the best female mixed martial artist on the planet. She's 7-0 and has demolished everyone in her path to date.

This Saturday, she'll have a chance to show an unprecedented audience her talent. Her title fight against Christiane "Cyborg" Santos at Strikeforce is the first women's bout to headline a major MMA promotion.

Amazingly, however, she's not the favorite to win. Strikeforce odds currently list her as a +150 underdog against Cyborg Santos.

It's understandable that odds makers hold Cyborg (7-1) in high esteem. She's a killer, likened to a female Mike Tyson. Five of her seven wins have come via knockout; she's a scrapper who can take a punch and dish out devastating blows better than anyone.

If she catches Carano flush, it could be lights out for the first time in the American's career.

Call me crazy but, as scary as Cyborg is, I don't think people are giving Carano enough credit. In this power-versus-technique bout, Carano is the technician. She's a versatile fighter who can drop opponents with her fists but also beat them on the ground, as she showed when she submitted Tonya Evinger via rear naked choke in a 2007 EliteXC bout.

Carano is a superior fundamental striker to Cyborg, meaning that Cyborg has to hope she can connect with her haymakers. Otherwise, Carano can pick her apart and pepper her with shots, as Cyborg's brawling style causes her to eat too many punches.

Cyborg's ground game hasn't been tested often thanks to her knockout power, but when it has, she hasn't inspired confidence. Her only loss occurred via leg lock in her MMA debut.

Whatever happens on Saturday, Carano and Cyborg should both emerge figurative winners, as women's MMA gets some long-deserved exposure.

If you're the type to bet on a true victor, though, I'd go with the true mixed martial artist. Carano is a more complete fighter and will teach the intimidating Cyborg Santos a lesson.