Gina Carano and The Dwayne Johnson Effect

All the Mixed Martial Arts world is buzzing with the recent string of stars making their way to Hollywood, picking the bright lights and minimal bruising of the silver screen over the beatdowns and bloody lips that come with the cage.

While most fighters-turned-actors have landed supporting roles (see Jackson, Quinton) or the lead in direct-to-DVD sequels (see Couture, Randy), Gina Carano is taking things one step further, landing the lead role in Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh's Knockout.

When discussing this growing trend on the most recent Watch Kalib Run Cage Cast, an interesting and very plausible analogy for Carano's career moving forward came to mind.

Is Gina Carano set to become the Dwayne Johnson of Mixed Martial Arts?

For those who have shied away from the squared circle since the days of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka or simply choose to deny their former love of wrestling, Dwayne Johnson is better known to some as former WWE champion "The Rock," easily the greatest crossover success the wrestling world has produced to date.

Following his rise from young up-and-comer to world champion, Johnson began branching out into the acting world, a natural move for the highly-charismatic potential leading man. His first leading role came as the titular character in The Scorpion King, a role that netted him the largest salary for a first-time lead actor in movie history.

From then on, his in-ring appearances became less frequent, as more movies followed, until the point came where "The Rock" was just a part-time wrestler, while Dwayne Johnson focused on being a full-time actor.

The potential parallels with Carano are obvious, just as her decision to capitalize on this opportunity makes perfect sense as well.

While countless troglodytes and trolls have left comment after comment criticizing this move or voicing their prepubescent fantasies for a nude scene throughout the online community, the fact of the matter is that Carano should make in the neighborhood of ten-times more to make this film than she does for getting punched in the face.

It doesn't take an accountant to tell you that that is a wise financial decision.

Just as Johnson saw the need to strike while the iron was hot and his career was on the upswing, the same applies to Carano now.

Here name recognition and mainstream popularity have never been higher, coming off the massive promotional push of her fight with Cris Cyborg, her role on American Gladiators and he presence in the pages of Maxim Magazine.

Additionally, Carano, like Johnson before her, understands that her in-ring activities won't last forever, and the chance to open a new avenue for life after fighting cannot be missed, especially when the one presenting the option is Steven Soderbergh.

The director of Traffic, Erin Brockovich and the Ocean's Eleven series has said Knockout will be a female James Bond-type adventure, which immediately brings the word "franchise" into play.

But what will all this mean for her career in the cage?

Obviously, a return to the ring in the near future is out of the question, as starring in a major motion picture is not a three week vacation to remote locations.

After filming is complete, the comparison with "The Rock" has the potential to play out even more.

Strikeforce has already displayed a willingness to allow high-profile fighters the opportunity to pursue other endeavors (see Le, Cung) and Carano should be no different.

Much like Johnson was booked into short storylines and given a major push during his sporadic returns to the ring, expect the same with Carano when it comes to fighting.

One highly-publicized, well-promoted fight between acting opportunities is not unreasonable to expect, as Caranao remains "The Face of Women's MMA" and one of the most marketable mixed martial artists period.

In fact, the lack of depth in the female Strikeforce ranks works in Carano's favor as well.

With few credible challengers established enough to sell an event alongside "The Brawling Beauty," Strikeforce can invest some time into building an opponent before putting pen to paper on a contract with Carano, thereby allowing her the time to scratch her acting itch.

While picking an acting gig over an established fight is a little questionable ** cough Rampage cough ** using your time away from the ring to put a little money in the bank for your post-fight career cannot be criticized.

Gina Carano may still be "The Face of Women's MMA," but the opportunity to be the face of a potential action movie franchise is one you don't turn down.

And that's the bottom line, because Stone... oh wait, wrong wrestler.
Continue reading...

Punch Drunk Predictions: Strikeforce

After what feels like a week away (it's only been three days) battling the flu, health has finally returned to me enough to climb back behind my keyboard to hit you with some Punch Drunk Predictions for tonight's historic Strikeforce fight card.

Last week was a busy week for the PDP's and after my 5-5 performance at UFC 101, I vowed to deliver 8 wins from WEC 42 and d'you know what?

8 wins, 3 losses, bringing the record a little closer to respectability and making me feel good about my picks for this card which is full of fights that could certainly go either way.

Mike Kyle (12-6-1) vs. Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1)
Kyle reminded me of a bigger version of Drew McFedries; he's got lethal knockout power and some decent wins, but he never seems to string together impressive performances.

As for Werdum, this will be his first opportunity to erase the memory of Junior dos Santos literally knocking him out of the UFC back in October and while Kyle has the punching power to deliver a repeat, the former Pride and UFC veteran has too much experience to let that happen again.

Doesn't he?

Jay Hieron (17-4-0) vs. Jesse Taylor (13-3-0)
I've got to give it up to Jesse Taylor for a minute.

Since getting tossed from the TUF Finale a few years back and getting submitted by C.B. Dollaway, Taylor has fought anywhere and everywhere while piling up seven straight wins. While he hasn't always been beating name brand opposition, seven wins since October is still pretty impressive.

With that out of the way, Jay Hieron is the toughest test to date for the Team Quest fighter and too much to handle in my books. The former IFL Welterweight champ has a wealth of experience against tougher competition than Taylor has faced and comes in on a five fight winning streak of his own.

Gilbert Melendez (15-2-0) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (18-5-1)
Despite Josh Thomson's late removal from this fight, "El Nino" is going to get a chance at redemption anyway, facing the man to hand him his first career loss, "The Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida.

Melendez has been vocal about the late replacement and some are speculating that Strikeforce has put the Interim Lightweight champion at a disadvantage heading into this fight. While both views could be correct, true champions overcome the obstacles before them and this is Melendez' chance to prove himself as a true champion.

Ishida is a strong wrestler who had gone to battle against some top talent over the years, including Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro and Takanori Gomi, while scoring a Unanimous Decision over Melendez on New Year's Eve 2007.

Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8-0) vs. Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1)
Youth versus experience.

Normally, I would side with experience, especially when that experienced competitor is Renato Sobral. But the youth is Gegard "The Dreamcatcher" Mousasi and I'm pretty certain that this will be his North American coming out party.

"Babalu" has become a much smarter fighter in his post-UFC career, finding his spots and executing perfectly in both his Strikeforce win over Bobby Southworth (got inside his range, landed some elbows, got the win) and his last Affliction fight against Sokoudjou (weathered the typical early Soko burst, submitted his tired ass in Round 2).

Then there is Mousasi, who is riding a 12-fight winning streak at the age of 24, including winning the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix and currently sitting as the favorite to win the company's Open Weight "Super Hulk" Tournament as well. You may not have known his name before today, but you shouldn't forget it. He's the real deal like Holyfield.

Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos" (7-1-0) vs. Gina Carano (7-0-0)
The fate of Women's MMA doesn't hang in the balance.

Regardless of the outcome, Gina Carano will remain the Face of WMMA.

But even those two realities doesn't stop this from being an historic event and the fight I have been most looking forward to in this outstanding month of Mixed Martial Arts.

Cyborg is a powerful, aggressive, dominant fighter who has clobbered nearly everyone who has been put before her, using her brute strength to overwhelm her opponents.

Carano is more of a technician, utilizing a wider array of attacks and having shown the ability to grind out a win against tough opponents.

If it ends early, Cyborg will be the winner. If it ends later, Carano will have her hand raised. The question is which one will it be?

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 57-45 (That's better...)

Note: Since I have no real knowledge of any of the fighters on the undercard, making picks would really be a complete coin-flip situation and that is dumb to me, so I'm skipping them and sticking with what I know.

Fabricio Werdum over Mike Kyle by Submission, Round 2
Jay Hieron over Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision
Mitsuhiro Ishida over Gilbert Melendez by Unanimous Decision
Gegard Mousasi over Renato Sobral by TKO, R1

And in the Main Event of the Evening...

Gina "Conviction" Carano over Cris Cyborg by Submission, R3

Now touch gloves and come out swingin'...

Continue reading...

Gina Carano vs. Cris Cyborg: Redefining What It Means To Hit Like a Girl

There couldn't be a better tag line for this fight than the one used in the title above, one which I heard yesterday for the first time in an advertisement for this historic bout.

Some critics may want to attack Cyborg and Carano's place in the overall scheme of Women's MMA, calling them unworthy of such a grand stage or the attention they've received, while other, perhaps better, fighters go seemingly unnoticed.

My response to those critics is this: On August 16, more people than ever before will have been exposed to high-level Women's MMA, and the likes of Tara Larosa, Sarah Kaufman and Shayna Baszler, to name three, will reap the rewards of what Carano and Cyborg are about to accomplish.

You would think that the critics who attack the headlining act of Strikeforce's August 15 event would be their strongest supporters, as they seem to want to champion the growth and development of WMMA , but then fail to recognize the importance of this fight towards that end.

Whether they're the most worthy females fighters of such an honor is secondary; of primary importance is that we have, for the first time ever, two outstanding female fighters headlining a major organization's event. Regardless of rankings or standing in the eyes of their critics, Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg are going to usher Women's MMA into a new era on Saturday night.

Personally, I couldn't think of two better females to have on opposite sides of the cage for such an important event than these two.

On one side you have Gina Carano, a fighter who has garnered the spotlight and been thrust forth as the "Face of Women's MMA" thanks to her exposure on American Gladiators and undeniable good looks, whose undefeated record is often an afterthought.

Across the cage, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, a "Muay Thai Machine" as Mauro Ranallo has taken to calling her, whose performances in the ring have often been more impressive than her counterpart, yet receive far less acclaim.

Each is the perfect nemesis for the other and their shared Muay Thai base will surely make for a more exciting fight than the first three bouts from last weekend's UFC broadcast.

Don't get it twisted - this is not a WWE Divas match where the combatants are more attractive than athletic; these two women are fighters first and everything else second, and each would quickly change anybody's opinion on female fighting with one straight right to the jaw.

Some in the MMA Community believe the fate of Women's MMA hangs on the results of this fight; specifically that a Cyborg win removes Carano as the face of the sport and somehow makes it less marketable.

I would say the exact opposite is true, regardless of who wins.

This fight is the start of something more for Women's MMA.

No matter who comes away with the belt around their waist, Carano will remain the "Face of WMMA" because, whether you like it or not, she is the most marketable female fighter on the planet and records don't matter as much as when you're talking about marketing revenue.

And that's a good thing, because anything or anyone who brings attention to the great wealth of talent in WMMA is a positive.

A Cyborg win doesn't mean the sport suffers; it means that maybe Sarah Kaufman gets an opportunity to fight for the belt against the women who beat Gina Carano, the Face of WMMA and the one, rightfully or not, currently viewed by some as the best female fighter in the game.

The bottom line is that the sport can't grow without exposure and Cyborg and Carano are bringing more attention to WMMA right now than anyone else could.

They're also going to show a whole bunch of guys that the words "You Hit Like a Girl" is taking on a whole new meaning.



Continue reading...

Cyborg vs. Carano: History in the Making

Ten years from now, when MMA is still riding high as one of the most popular sports in the world and female fighters are viewed as equally-talented purveyors of their respective arts as their male counterparts, one fight will serve as the benchmark.

While various fights on the August 15 Strikeforce card have come and gone, the one that has remained constant is the most important contests of the evening, the one pitting Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos against Gina "Conviction" Carano for the Women's 145 lbs. Title.

But this fight is about far more than a title belt; it's about equality, opportunity and making history.

Some critics are of the belief that the only reason this fight is earning top billing is the presence of Carano, "The Face of Women's Mixed Martial Arts" and an attractive, marketable face at that.

While that undoubtedly has something to do with it, do not disrespect these fighters and the sport by believing that these women are unworthy of such a grand stage.

These are two of the best female fighters in the sport today, each on seven-fight winning streaks and each very much deserving of not only an opportunity to fight for a championship, but also of headlining an event.

If two male fighters of above average talent and popularity, each riding extended winning streaks, were set to do battle, the bout would be promoted through the roof and surely earn main event status. Fans would be chomping at the bit for the opening bell to sound.

But now, because the combatants are female, this fight is somehow less worthy?

What the people putting down this fight fail to recognize is that they're watching history happen right before their eyes.

"There has to be a first" is a saying that I have used a lot in recent months, both in reference to my own life and career, as well as the world around us.

Someone or something has to break the mold, change the way we look at things, so that we can see just how normal and natural a once-foreign idea can truly be.

The concept of a Black President seemed impossible to many just twenty years ago, if not less.

Now, the future holds an opportunity for someone to be "the Second Black President of the United States of America."

Just as there had to be a first Black President, there has to be a first female main event for there to be a second, and a third, and a fourth.

Ten years ago, this sport that so many of us follow with intense passion and fierce loyalty was all but dead; too violent and dangerous even for pay-per-view, yet we've stood by to watch it rise like Lazarus.

But now that the sport is alive and kicking, having two extremely talented female fighters atop the marquee is either outlandish or simply a novelty act to some?

Four years ago, two guys no one had heard of before they appeared on a reality television show captivated the masses and converted thousands, if not millions, to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, earning a place in the history books.

This fight on August 15 is the female version of The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finale; an historic event that will one day be talked about with reverence as the fight that put Women's MMA on equal footing with it's male counterpart.

Change is inevitable, like death and taxes.

The question is where will you be when the change takes place?

Will you be in front of it, embracing it and being a part of it or standing on the sidelines, failing to accept what is happening before you and wishing things could just stay the way they were?

Me?

I'll be taking part in history.

Hopefully I see you there.
Continue reading...

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

There has been a great deal of talk around the MMA sites lately about the progress being made by females in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. My man Zak Woods at Watch Kalib Run actually sums it up quite nicely here.

While all the things the article discusses are very much true and MMA deserves a hat-tip for moving forward faster than many other sports, let's not go patting ourselves on the backs too quickly.

After all, we still have ring girls like Arianny (left) and Logan (right) parading around in their skivvies to the delight of many and before Fight! Magazine can get to a full-length article each month, they have to get through a cheap excuse of an interview and three pages of Miesha Tate's ass in short shorts.


Believe me, I love that we saw the first female referee on a UFC card over the weekend at the Ultimate Fighter Finale and that female fighters not named Carano are starting to get some attention, but let's not kid ourselves either.

The inclusion of Kim Winslow into the referee pool is great, but until we include some dude with washboard abs wearing a Speedo and carrying a Round 3 card at fights, we can hold off on the handshakes and hugs.

For every male mind out there that wonders why the UFC Ring Girls are at preliminary fights on The Ultimate Fighter and who want to see Cyborg and Gina Carano throwdown because it's going to be a serious slugfest, there are far more guys out there who are stoked to see the pretty girls in the booty shorts holding up those cards, reminding them what round it is because counting is just too tough.

Seriously - can you give me one reason besides showing a bikini-clad chick on television that "the beautiful Arianny" and "the lovely Logan," as Mike Goldberg refers to them are anywhere near the UFC Training Center during filming of TUF? Everyone else in the room is tied to the fight game and knows what round it is, but we've gotta pander to the guys sitting on their couch waiting to see the half-naked girl...

And that is why we shouldn't be giving ourselves a pat on the back just yet.

Gina Carano is still "the face of female MMA" mainly because she makes the Top 20 of Maxim's Hottest Women issue and was "Crush" on American Gladiators.

Guys aren't turning up to her weigh-in to hear her thoughts on the fight or world issues; it's because she has a difficult time making weight and tends to get naked behind a towel every time. At least she doesn't blame "women's problems" like some people cough Cyborg cough ...

We're getting there, we're just not there yet.

Photo: Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

Continue reading...

Don't Sleep on Sarah Kaufman

While Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos have seemingly become the Kleenex and Q-Tips of Women's Mixed Martial Arts, the truth is that there are a number of talented female fighters out there besides the American Gladiator and her August 15th opponent.

One of those fighters is Canadian Sarah Kaufman. This Friday, the Victoria, British Columbia native puts her undefeated record on the line against submission specialist Shayna Baszler on the Strikeforce: ShoMMA card on Showtime.


At 9-0, Kaufman boasts a better record than Carano, the highly photogenic "Face of Female MMA fighters." Interestingly enough, a win over Baszler on Friday could put the former ballerina in line to fight the winner of what is being billed as the biggest fight in the history of Women's Mixed Martial Arts between the two former EliteXC fighters.

Most recently, Kaufman handed Fight! Magazine pin-up Miesha Tate her second career loss with a hard-fought unanimous decision. Having fought in promotions including King of the Cage, UWC and TKO over her three year career, the current influx of female fighters making their way onto the Strikeforce roster could give Kaufman a much more permanent home moving forward.

While no plans have been announced as of yet, the aforementioned growing numbers in the female ranks could lead to the establishment of a Strikeforce women's title, something Kaufman would most certainly contend for.

Hype and publicity can do a lot for a fighter's career, and while she is certainly an accomplished fighter inside the cage, Gina Carano is not the only female fighter out there worth knowing. For my money, Tara LaRosa is the best female fighter on the planet, with Cyborg and Carano set to battle it out for the #2 position.

That being said, a tough girl from Victoria who found her way into the cage when an MMA school opened up in the same building as the dance school she attended will be looking to extend her perfect record into double digits on Friday night.

Sarah Kaufman is the real deal and a force to be reckoned with, household name or not.


Continue reading...