Ali Akbar Rosady
Gina Carano, a foundational figure in women’s mixed martial arts (MMA), is set to make her highly anticipated return to the octagon this Saturday, facing off against UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Ronda Rousey. This monumental clash comes after a prolonged hiatus for Carano, who last competed professionally in 2009, prompting considerable speculation and inquiry regarding her readiness to confront one of the sport’s most dominant athletes. The narrative of this bout has long been a "fantasy fight" teased by the UFC over a decade ago, now materializing into a reality that has captivated the MMA world.
At the zenith of her initial career, Carano was widely recognized as the preeminent face of women’s MMA, celebrated for her aggressive striking and undeniable knockout power. Her undefeated streak, which had propelled her to superstardom, concluded in a decisive first-round TKO loss to Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce in August 2009, a bout contested for the inaugural Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Championship. Following this pivotal defeat, Carano largely redirected her focus towards a burgeoning acting career, a pursuit that has occupied the majority of her attention for the past 17 years. Despite her success in Hollywood, the allure of a return to professional fighting, particularly a potential showdown with Rousey, has intermittently surfaced throughout the years.
With the fantasy now a confirmed reality, Carano has dedicated several months to an intensive training camp at Syndicate MMA, under the guidance of head coach John Wood. The rigorous preparation has aimed to hone her existing strengths while developing new facets of her game to contend with Rousey’s formidable skill set. Wood, a long-time acquaintance of Carano, has expressed profound satisfaction with her transformation, noting that while some of her signature attributes were immediately apparent, the journey has been both arduous and rewarding.
"I will tell you this: The power and the speed is still there," Wood informed MMA Fighting, emphasizing Carano’s inherent capabilities. "I’ve known Gina for a long time and man, she cracks. The big thing for this fight is how to use that correctly. She’s got the kind of power that she doesn’t even need to throw hard to touch you." Wood further elaborated on the raw power Carano possesses, stating, "She’s got power, she hits harder than a lot of the guys that I have. She really does. Kicks like a freaking horse. It’s about using those attributes smartly." This assessment underscores the team’s strategy to leverage Carano’s striking prowess with heightened tactical awareness.
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The training environment at Syndicate MMA has been a collaborative effort, involving a diverse group of coaches and sparring partners. Among them is Lucas Brennan, a recent UFC signee, who has been working alongside Carano for several months. Brennan’s father, legendary grappler Chris Brennan, serves as one of Carano’s primary coaches, bringing a wealth of experience in ground fighting to the camp. Lucas Brennan has been particularly struck by Carano’s striking ability.
"She hits like a grown f*cking man," Brennan candidly told MMA Fighting, conveying the sheer force behind Carano’s punches. "She hits so hard. Me and my brother [Tyler] are working with her everyday while my dad Chris and John and then her husband Kevin Ross, who’s phenomenal, and they’re working everything from the side while we work and super strong. Cracks like she’s married to Kevin Ross. Hits really hard. Ridiculous." The mention of Kevin Ross, a renowned Muay Thai fighter and Carano’s husband, highlights the high-caliber striking expertise integrated into her training regimen. Brennan also noted Carano’s consistent positive demeanor, even amidst the most grueling sessions. "Real high spirited all the time. Even when we’ve burnt through her and exhausted her, she’s always in a good mood about everything. It’s been a pretty smooth camp with her and we all mesh well together."
Brandon Jenkins, another fighter scheduled to compete on the Rousey vs. Carano card against Nate Diaz’s teammate Chris Avila, has also been a regular presence at Syndicate, coaching and observing Carano’s progress. Jenkins echoed the sentiments regarding Carano’s power, stating, "You can hear her cracking pads. She still hits like a tank." His observations extend to the significant strides Carano has made in her grappling, under the tutelage of Chris Brennan. "Chris Brennan has been in there getting her grappling ready and getting her jiu-jitsu ready for Ronda Rousey. Just watching her transform in the last year has been outstanding."
The primary concern surrounding Carano’s comeback, and arguably the most significant challenge she faces, revolves around her ability to contend with Ronda Rousey’s world-class grappling. Rousey, an Olympic bronze medalist in judo, entered the sport with an unparalleled skill set in throws and submissions. Throughout her dominant career, she routinely dispatched opponents by taking them to the ground and securing her signature armbar, often within the first minute of a round. Rousey’s professional MMA record of 12 wins and 2 losses, with 9 of her victories coming by armbar submission, attests to the efficacy of her ground game. Her reign as the inaugural UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion saw her defend the title six times, finishing all but one of those opponents in the first round.
Heading into Saturday’s contest, Rousey is heavily favored by oddsmakers, largely due to her overwhelming ground game, with many pundits anticipating she will replicate her past success by quickly taking Carano to the mat. However, Coach Wood asserts that Carano has been diligently working to neutralize Rousey’s grappling strengths, expressing confidence in her ability to defend against judo throws, jiu-jitsu submissions, wrestling takedowns, and any other ground-based threat.
"There is no mystery," Wood explained, acknowledging the classic striker-versus-grappler dynamic of the matchup. "It’s a classic striker versus grappler kind of thing and we’ve all seen crazy things happen in MMA. You’ve seen great wrestlers get outwrestled. You’ve seen great jiu-jitsu guys get submitted by blue belts. You’ve seen great strikers get knocked out by crappy jiu-jistu guys. Anything can happen in this. We’re going to prepare and cover every single thing that we need to cover and make sure she’s ready."
The grappling aspect of Carano’s camp has been significantly bolstered by recent developments at Syndicate MMA. "Our job as coaches, myself, Chris Brennan who’s coming in and recently took over the jiu-jitsu head coaching at Syndicate, it couldn’t happen at a better time," Wood stated, highlighting the opportune timing of Brennan’s elevated role. "His two boys, super high-level black belts, Lucas and Tyler Brennan [are in] the camp. We’ve got a bunch of good people. We’ve got a bunch of black belt judo guys and girls that [brought] into camp. So it really just comes down to training. Everybody knows what everybody wants to do." This comprehensive approach to grappling preparation aims to equip Carano with the tools necessary to defend and potentially counter Rousey’s takedowns and submissions.
While the primary strategic focus might appear to be Carano’s defense against Rousey’s takedowns, Wood emphasizes the importance of preparing for all contingencies and not over-committing to a defensive mindset. He believes that dwelling excessively on Rousey’s potential actions at the expense of Carano’s own offensive strategy would be detrimental.
"My goal isn’t to train Gina to make her so afraid of the ground that we can’t be there," Wood clarified. "I’m working myself, Chris, working to put the best Gina Carano in a fight that’s ever been. That’s what I think you’re going to see. She’ll be ready for everything. I feel confident." Wood’s assessment of Carano’s progress extends beyond striking defense. "She comes with a good base. I’m watching her move, watching her defend, defend takedowns and she’s actually taking people down. She’s got a good ground game. She’s got an overall good game. I’m very confident you’re going to see a very, very well rounded Gina Carano when it comes fight time."
As fight night approaches, Wood maintains confidence in Carano’s ability to deliver a knockout, a hallmark of her previous career. However, he also recognizes that victory might come through unexpected avenues, underscoring the unpredictable nature of MMA. "When you get into a fight, shit changes," Wood asserted. "One punch can change a whole game plan. One kick can change the whole thing. One takedown, all these kinds of things. I don’t like to over game plan so we make it that we can’t do this. If this happens, we’re going to die! It’s a very fluid thing and I think we just need to alleviate that pressure and say we’re just going to get into a fight. Whatever happens, happens but we will be prepared for those things."
The stage is set for a compelling showdown between two pioneers of women’s MMA. Carano’s team believes her power, speed, and significantly improved grappling defense will present a formidable challenge to Rousey’s judo-based attack, promising a fight where strategy, adaptability, and raw talent will converge in the octagon.
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