Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker Expects Gina Carano To Return to Cage in 2011

"The Face of Women's MMA," as she was once called, is expected to return to Strikeforce next year after being on a hiatus since April of 2009. Gina Carano has not fought since suffering the first loss of her career to current champion Cris Cyborg, but she has been busy filming her starring role in the Steven Soderbergh film, "Knockout."

People have wondered when Carano would return to the cage, or if she ever would, but if you ask Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker whether "Conviction" will return, he leans towards a yes. 

“I believe so,” Coker said during an interview on the “Savage Dog Show.”

“I know Gina is not going to go out the way that it went down,” Coker said. “Her whole thing now is just timing and scheduling. She’s got the movie coming out in April, I believe, and she’s got some more stuff on her plate.

“I know, just like Cung [Le] or other people that have [been] part of the film business…they’re still a fighter by heart, believe me, and they have that desire to compete,” Coker said. “I think Gina will be the same. It’s just a matter of time. I believe she will fight in 2011.”

Many mixed martial arts fans do not give Carano the kind of credit that she deserves as a mixed martial arts fighter. She is more than a pretty face; she is one hell of a fighter. 

Yes, Carano was overwhelmed against the female beast "Cyborg," but Carano also holds impressive wins over the likes of Kaitlin Young, Rosi Sexton, Julie Kedzie and Tonya Evinger.  When the Muay Thai machine returns to Strikeforce, expect her to come back with a lot to prove. 

Josh Sanchez has had his work linked to and featured on Yahoo! Sports, SportsIllustrated.com and FOXSports.com. For more, check out his MMA blog CagePages.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jnsanchez.