Gina Carano The (Battered) Face of Women's MMA?
Cyborg Loss a Messy End, New Beginning for Ladies Mixed Martial Arts
Gina Carano fell at the feet of a true champion Saturday, August 15, 2009. With a respectable and fearless performance that lasted only one round – and with a referee stoppage at the 4:59 mark of a 5:00 round, emphasis on one full round – Gina Carano left many questions as to the future of women’s MMA.
Up to that point, Carano revolutionized ladies mixed martial arts as aggressively as her opponent came at her Saturday night. Considering the loads of opposition women’s boxing first garnered when serious contenders like Christy Martin hit the scene in the nineties, the steamrolling pace of women’s MMA, thanks to Carano’s strong but feminine shoulders, was overwhelming.
Did that pace get beat out of ladies mixed martial arts Saturday night when Cyborg landed fifteen unanswered shots in the final twenty seconds of round one?
It is too early to say. However, the prospects are hopeful. Consider for a moment the possibilities. For one, there is the obvious Gina Carano-Cris Cyborg rematch out there on the table, although it will be quite some time before that seems like a plausible match-up. After all, it only took one round for Cyborg to dispatch Carano, but hold up on that thought.
Five-Minute Rounds Versus Three-Minute Rounds
Cyborg came up fighting in Brazil, where she was accustomed to five-minute rounds. Strikeforce did themselves and Carano a disservice by changing their rules mid-stream and scheduling the fight for five-minute rounds, because their talent pool, of which Carano still ranks at the top, is used to three-minute rounds. Those two minutes made a big difference Saturday night!
Carano experienced early trouble on August 15th, but quickly rebounded and landed some considerably potent shots that left the eventual champion Cyborg with a scuff mark under one eye to match her own. In fact, neither of these girls looked any worse than the other when the stoppage occurred. The glow of victory on Cyborg’s face was the only distinguishing trait.
The key was in those extra two minutes. Carano, particularly in the last minute, switched gears from competitive mode to survival mode. The loss seemed more due to conditioning than anything else. She simply had nothing left when Cyborg initiated the final mount.
Does the quick defeat spell the end for Carano? Hardly. It could very well be the end, but that is up to her and what she chooses to take from it. Now that the standards of five-minute rounds are set, Carano, and all the other competitors in ladies mixed martial arts, should alter their training habits and plan for the long haul. Cyborg is already there, and that’s why she’s champion. It’s also why she will remain so until the rest fall in line.
And speaking of the rest…
Other Women’s MMA Contenders
- Erin Toughill: She was “Steel” to Carano’s “Crush” on the update of American Gladiators, and the consensus feeling in the MMA community is that she is next in line for a shot at Cyborg’s newly won championship.
- Vanessa Porto: Possibly her greatest accomplishment is a decision loss to Cris Cyborg. Going the distance with such a beast merits a second shot. This time, she has nothing to lose and a world title to gain.
- Marloes Coenen: A 16-3 bruiser from Holland, Coenen may have dropped a fight to Toughill, but she is no doubt an impressive 154-pounder. She enjoys a size advantage over the champion, and her only losses come to skilled contenders.
- Gina Carano: Her celebrity will not vanish overnight. If she chooses to train harder, she could have marquee match-ups with anyone from Cyborg to Toughill, her former American Gladiators colleague.
These are only a small portion of the viable women’s MMA contenders out there. One thing is for certain, however. For ladies mixed martial arts to uphold its momentum, it needs a face. Right now, Cris Cyborg is that face, and she has Gina Carano to thank for it. Inevitably, some will vilify her for abusing the beautiful face of women’s MMA, but this is unfair. She knew what was at stake, and she rose to the occasion. Like it or not, she is the recognized titleholder, and it will take a true champion to take that mantle.
Just whom that champion will be? Yet to be determined. But fans of ladies mixed martial arts and the entire MMA community will be watching eagerly for an answer.
Erin Toughill: The Next Face of Women's MMA?
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