It’s On: Carano vs. Cyborg

Tonight (August 15) history will be made when Showtime airs the mixed martial arts event Strikeforce: Carano vs Cyborg featuring headliners Gina “Conviction” Carano (7-0) and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (7-1) in a match to determine the woman’s champion.

What makes the event so historic? The match up features the  first women in MMA history to headline a major MMA fight card. Even if you’re not a boxing or MMA fan,  this is going to be a groundbreaking event on a multitude of levels.

Among many firsts in this MMA bout will be women fighting five five-minute rounds (which, of course, the guys have been doing for some time).

Both women made weight yesterday with  Carano coming in at 143 and Cyborg at 144.5.  So with much anticipation, hype and speculation, the fight is finally on!

The blogosphere if filled with comments, predictions and opinions about the fight and some say the future of women’s MMA may well hang in the balance.  Try to support the fighters if you can, and if you don’t get Showtime,  here’s how to watch the match on the cheap.

Gina Carano action figure set for stores this summer

If you ever wondered what Barbie would look like if she could beat Ken (or GI Joe) up, she’d probably look a lot like a Gina Carano action figure.

Former American Gladiator Crush and top women’s fighter, Gina “Conviction” Carano is not just another pretty face.  She’s well trained in Muay Thai kickboxing and possesses an unbeaten MMA record.

Known to many as the face of female mixed martial arts, Carano has  truly transcended the sport of MMA. Now, the unbeaten star has announced she will be working with Round 5, the leader in collectible MMA figurines, to produce an action figure that reflects her stardom.

Carano (7-0) has emerged as MMA’s most popular female fighter following her stint with the now-defunct EliteXC organization. She became the first female fighter to compete on U.S. network televised when she appeared on CBS in 2008. She was also the first female fighter to appear on Showtime, and she competed in Nevada’s first-ever state-sanctioned female combat-sports bout in 2006.

A pioneer in women’s MMA, Carano has earned additional attention by serving as a mentor/coach on the Oxygen network series “Fight Girls.”

Although now a free agent, Carano is expected to sign with Strikeforce in time for an August bout with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. The two were on a collision course in EliteXC before the company’s collapse. The bout will likely be the biggest in female MMA history.

“Gina Carano has emerged as a star, not just in MMA but in the mainstream,” said Damon Lau, Round 5 President. “As the first female in the Round 5 line, we expect her figurine to be popular among the sport’s enthusiasts as well as those who have seen her on TV or in magazines.”

“I’m incredibly blessed to be a part of so many wonderful opportunities and to now be included in Round 5’s line up of gifted fighters is another exciting privilege,” said Carano. “When I was a little girl my dad always joked about making a ‘Gina doll’ and I smile when I think it has become a reality. It is both humbling and invigorating to consider this is just the beginning with so many other gifted women whose figurines are yet to be made.”

The six inch Carano figurine is tentatively scheduled to be released as part of Series 4, which is planned for a summer 2009 release. Carano will maintain creative control of her likeness and will have a major hand in creating the final design. She’ll also benefit from a royalty agreement that gives her a portion of the proceeds.

For more on the company behind the figurines, check out MMAjunkie.com’s Round 5 company profile.

Multisport athlete McKey wins America’s Next Top Model

November 20, 2008 – It started out with the fierce fourteen 2 months ago and ended last night when Brittany ‘McKey’ Sullivan was chosen to be the next America’s Top Model.

The former tomboy from Lake Forrest, Illinios, McKey, won (all together now…) a contract with Elite model management, a spread and cover for Seventeen magazine, and a $100,000 contract with covergirl.

Nineteen-year-old McKey defeated her rival, LA high school student Samantha Potter, after strutting along one unique runway, a giant hot pink hill, and striking memorable poses. Annaleigh was third in the contest.

We picked both of the finalists at the beginning because of their athleticism and beauty. Winner McKey played all kinds of sports as a kid including hockey and soccer. She now trains as a boxer with her cagefighter bf. 

When McKey was 15, a sports injury forced her off the field and she began to channel her competitive energy into modeling.  Looks like it paid off!!

Gina Carano to be auctioned to highest bidder

November 5, 2008 – We talk so much about how empowering and motivating women’s sports can be but we often forget the business side of things.  Professional athletes, like movie and TV stars, are often little more than commodities.  

So what happens when you’ve signed a contract with a company that goes belly-up? Well if you’re MMA fighter Gina Carano, your contract is an asset that can be auctioned to the highest bidder.

The bankrupt EliteXC, who promoted Carano, recently posted a notice of public sale saying its assets will be sold, including the following:

all contracts between any Debtor and mixed martial arts fighters (including, but not limited to, Kevin Ferguson a.k.a. “Kimbo Slice”, Gina Carano, Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler, Frank Shamrock, Antonio Silva, Brett Rogers, Dave Herman, Scott Smith, Nick Diaz, Cristiane Venancio Justino a.k.a. “Chris Cyborg”, Eddie Alvarez, Yves Edwards and Wilson Reis)

Carano and Cris Cyborg, who are two of the highest-profile women in MMA, are caught in the middle of this mess.  They can’t look for fights elsewhere and there maybe potential legal battles when their contracts are bought by promotions they have no interest in fighting for.

Unfortunately, business is business and it’s not always fun.

Gina Carano’s fight future in limbo

October 21, 2008 - The fighting future of top MMA draw Gina Carano is in limbo as word emerged today that the mixed-martial-arts organization Elite XC will file bankruptcy and cease future operations, according to parent company, Pro Elite Inc.

Elite XC, which produced seven of the 10 most-watched MMA matches in U.S. history on two CBS specials in recent months, will be closing its doors at the end of the week. This leaves a roster of fighters, including Carano, looking for work.

Will Carano move to the sport’s highest-profile group the UFC? According to Yahoo Sports,

UFC president Dana White has said he’s not interested in promoting women’s fighting, although Carano’s success as a draw may cause him to reconsider. Her match with Kelly Kobold two weeks ago ended up adding more new viewers than any MMA match on television in the U.S.

Stay tuned.

Gina Carano, Elite XC fighter

October 3, 2008 – Women’s mixed martial arts has hit the main stage and the biggest star on the female MMA scene is Las Vegas native Gina “Conviction” Carano. Carano (6-0) is set to return to action for EliteXC tomorrow night against Kelly Kobald (16-2-1).

Carano’s bout against Kobold, on the main card of EliteXC: Heat, takes place at the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will air live on CBS October 4 beginning at 9pm ET.

Carano’s celebrity has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few months after putting on an exciting fight at EliteXC’s debut show, appearing on the Oxygen network’s Fight Girls show amd NBC’s American Gladiators, and being seen in numerous magazines all over the world.

Though known as the “face” of women’s mixed martial arts, it’s not necessarily the label  she’s looking for. BecauseIPlayedSports.com provides some nice background on Carano. There’s also an LA Times interview today where she talks about her life, ‘American Gladiators’ and the guys at the gym.

Since she’s fighting this weekend, check out Gina’s bio and a video promoting her upcoming Elite XC fight.

 New to MMA?? Read ProElite’s “MMA 101″

(Editors Note: Carano beat Kelly Kobold improving her pro MMA record to 7-0. According to EliteXC, Carano’s next matchup will be against Cris Cyborg and will be the biggest fight in the history of women’s MMA.)

Carina Moreno awarded WBC Female Fighter of the Year

Nov. 21, 2007  – The World Boxing Council (WBC) recently voted Carina Moreno “Female Fighter Of The Year”. This marks the second award in 2007 for the champion who received the same honor from the NABF back in July.

Recognized as one of the best pound for pound female fighters in the world, Moreno is riding a 7 fight winning steak and looks to continue her winning ways when she’s expected to battle Terri Mosson December, 6 2007 at the Tachi Palace Casino in Lemoore Ca.

An ecstatic Moreno commented by saying, “2007 has been a break out year for me. Holding the WBC title is what every Mexican fighter dreams of. I want to thank my trainer Rick Noble, my promoter Christian Printup, along with my manager Repo Rick for doing a fabulous job in guiding my career. I wouldn’t be in this position without them.”

Known as a pressure fighter, Carina displays an exciting style that fans have grown to love and appreciate. Team Moreno plans to stay active, bringing exciting fights to everyone who is fortunate enough to see her fight live.