Latest gina carano Stories

The last time I posted rankings of the Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in women's MMA, I noted how hard it is to identify the truly elite female fighters in the sport, and I asked MMAFighting.com readers for their input.

I got a lot of good suggestions of good fighters after that, and I've seen a lot of good women's fights since then, including Cris Cyborg vs. Marloes Coenen in person and a whole bunch of fights on YouTube. After all that, I think I have a much-improved list of the Top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in women's MMA below.

To watch mixed martial arts now, to witness the slick productions, screaming fans and dynamic fighters, it's hard to believe how far and how fast the sport has come in a single decade.

"If you would've come to me in 1999, and said there's going to be this new sport emerging, and by 2009 it's going to be where it is right now, I would have told you that would be an extremely unlikely and impressive achievement," said Robert Thompson, a noted pop culture expert and professor of Television and Popular Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

As metaphors go, the one that describes the state of MMA as the '00s began is almost too perfect to believe. Because as the calendar turned the page to the year 2000, the sport lay injured and ignored in a Louisiana hospital bed, a victim of its own hand.

Little has been heard from Gina Carano since her loss to Cris Cyborg in August, and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker doesn't expect to see her back in action before mid-2010.

Coker said on this week's edition of The MMA Hour that Carano, who is set to begin filming the new Steven Soderbergh movie, Knockout, in early 2010, isn't in Strikeforce's immediate plans.

On this week's edition of The MMA Hour, we were joined by Dan Hardy, who faces Mike Swick in a No. 1 contender's match at UFC 105 on Nov. 14. Hardy talked about getting a shot to fight for the title early in his UFC career, MMA's popularity in the United Kingdom, and his recent criticism of Bernard Hopkins after the boxing legend blasted MMA.

Later in the show, we spoke to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker about the upcoming Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers bout on Nov. 7, the Dan Henderson sweepstakes, and when we should expect to see Gina Carano return to action. Ray Hui and I also looked back at UFC 104 and Brock Lesnar having to pull out of his title fight at UFC 106.

Watch or listen to the show below.

ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" is making headlines all across the sports world, and two of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts are a part of it. Gina Carano's cover photo will certainly raise a lot of eyebrows for obvious reasons, and the close up of Randy Couture's cauliflower ear will definitely force some to look away. In many ways, the photos feature visual evidence of the pros and cons of training MMA, if you know what I mean.

The inaugural issue hits newsstands on Friday, but remember, Carano's cover is one of six, so don't be disappointed when you find Serena Williams in the buff gracing the cover of the magazine at your local book store. Anyhow, enjoy an early look at the Carano and Couture photos after the jump.

Gina Carano and Randy Couture will be among the 30 male and female professional athletes posing nude or semi-nude in ESPN The Magazine's first "Body Issue," which hits newsstands on Oct. 9.

Couture's cauliflower ear will be the focus of his spread and Carano will be posing semi-nude in "The Bodies We Want" photo section.

"Movie star" will apparently be the next descriptor for Gina Carano.

The popular athlete who has been a Muay Thai fighter, MMA fighter, American Gladiator and magazine model is reportedly set to star in a spy thriller being helmed by Oscar-award winning director Steven Soderbergh.

The film's title seems apt: Knockout.

When FanHouse spoke to Strikeforce CEO and founder Scott Coker at the Fedor Emelianenko public workout in New York City on Wednesday, we touched on many topics: What was the thought process behind booking Emelianenko versus Brett Rogers? When and where will this fight take place? And which fights will be on the undercard?

Coker also talked about why his partnership with M-1 Global will work, his current relationship with the UFC and when we should expect to see Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg fight again. Check out the full video interview below.

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Today's MMA Twitter mailbag delves into my interview with Jake Rosholt, the curiously low salary paid to Gegard Mousasi, the status of Gina Carano after her loss to Cris Cyborg, and more.

Your questions and comments, and my responses, for the MMA Twitter mailbag are below.

Gina Carano, as expected, was the highest earner with $125,000 at this past Saturday's Strikeforce event in San Jose.

Cris Cyborg, who stopped Carano with a second left in the first round to win the first-ever Strikeforce 145-pound women's title, pocketed $20,000 plus a $5,000 win bonus.

Meanwhile, the other new Strikeforce champion at the event happened to be the lowest earner, at least according to the commission's records. The disclosed purse of newly-crowned light heavyweight titleholder Gegard Mousasi was $2,000 with no win bonus. It's safe to say Mousasi is being compensated in some other way.

We've just witnessed the greatest advancement for female sports since Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt at the end of the World Cup.

So why does it feel more like a punch to the stomach?

I'm talking about last weekend's MMA bout between Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos. It supposedly is the breakthrough battle that will make female fighting mainstream.

MMA Twitter fans are giving their reviews of Saturday night's Strikeforce fights on Showtime, and Gegard Mousasi is getting raves for his great fight -- but also questions about why he's not in the UFC. We also have comments about Cris Cyborg's destruction of Gina Carano, the quality of the Showtime broadcast and Randy Couture's role in the new EA Sports MMA video game.

Your questions and comments, and my responses, in our MMA Twitter mailbag are below.