Gina Carano vs Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos Strikeforce 8/15/9

[GeneChing]

We were anticipating this when Carano was ringside at Cyborg's last fight (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=929619&postcount=24). I got to find an excuse to get into this one. Hopefully Cung will field a fighter on the undercard somewhere...

California trumps Las Vegas for MMA news (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jun/08/california-trumps-nevada-hot-fight-news/)
WEC 41 sets attendance, gate records; Carano to face ‘Cyborg’ in August
By Andy Samuelson
Mon, Jun 8, 2009 (3:30 p.m.)
Associated Press

Neighboring California became the hot spot for major mixed martial arts news over the weekend.

World Extreme Cagefighting enjoyed its most prosperous night in the promotion’s eight-year history Sunday in Sacramento. The sister organization to the UFC set attendance and live gate records as 12,706 fans showed up to watch WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown defend his title against hometown hero Urijah Faber.

The California State Athletic Commission confirmed to MMAjunkie.com that the attendance figure from WEC 41, which was unofficially announced at 13,027 Sunday at ARCO Arena, did in fact break the WEC record of 12,682 from WEC 34 — which was held in the same building.

The live gate amount of $815,415 from Sunday’s Faber fight topped the $738,855 mark from Faber’s fight against Jens Pulver in June 2008 inside ARCO.

For fans who missed the fight Sunday, VERSUS (Cox Cable Ch. 67) will re-air the featherweight bout Wednesday at 6 p.m. and again at 9 p.m.

The WEC’s next event — WEC 42 on Aug. 9 at the newly remodeled Joint at the Hard Rock, which will feature bantamweight champ Miguel Torres against top challenger Brian Bowles — marks the Las Vegas-based promotion’s return to the city for the first time since Torres defeated Manny Tapia in December.

The WEC’s success might not have even been the biggest headline to come out of California this weekend.

Scott Coker, CEO of the San Jose, Calif.-based Strikeforce promotion, announced at his organization’s show in St. Louis that top female fighters Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will face each other Aug. 15.

“That’s going to be the No. 1 and the No. 2 females fighting in the world,” Coker said of the long-rumored 145-pound main event. “It will be our first Strikeforce female title belt. We’re going to be proud to put that on.”

The show at the HP Pavilion will also feature a lightweight title unification bout between champs Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez, and a heavyweight title tilt with Alistair Overeem against a yet-to-be-named opponent, likely Brett Rogers.

[GeneChing]

GINA CARANO IS BACK!

LONG AWAITED STRIKEFORCE CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN
WITH CRIS “CYBORG” MARKS BIGGEST WOMEN’S FIGHT IN HISTORY

Saturday, August 15, Live on SHOWTIME at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT
From HP Pavilion, San Jose, Calif.;
Tickets Go On Sale Monday

NEW YORK (June 9, 2009)–-After an eight month hiatus, mixed martial arts’ (MMA) leading lady, the undefeated and extremely popular Gina “Conviction” Carano (7-0) will compete in the first fight of her multi-fight agreement with STRIKEFORCE and is set to square off with rival powerhouse Cris “Cyborg” (7-1) in what is one of the most eagerly anticipated battles of all time, Saturday, August 15, live on SHOWTIME® at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Carano and Cyborg, the consensus two best female fighters in the world, will be the first women in MMA history to headline a major MMA fight card. In addition, they will fight for the first STRIKEFORCE 145-pound Female Championship.

“I’m really excited to be coming back and to have a new home with Strikeforce,” said the 27-year-old Carano, whose combination of stunning looks and athleticism have cemented her role as the face of women’s MMA. In a Yahoo! online poll that named the “Top 10 Influential Women of 2008,” Carano ranked fifth, placing ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and famed journalists Katie Couric and Barbara Walters.

“I’ve wanted this fight with Cyborg for a long time and so have the fans so it was important to me that it happen in my first fight back. I’ve been training hard the last few months and come August 15, I will be in the best shape of my life. This fight will absolutely deliver on all the hype.”

The live SHOWTIME telecast of STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg” will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast) and will include up to five bouts.

Tickets for STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg,” priced from $30, go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. PT at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com).

Carano has soared to superstardom over the last two years while dominating opponents live on CBS and SHOWTIME. She raised her profile further during a stint as “Crush” on NBC’s athletic competition series American Gladiators. Carano is represented by Wasserman Media Group.

The matchup with Cyborg will be the second start of Carano’s career under the STRIKEFORCE banner. On December 8, 2006, she turned the tides on a determined Elaina Maxwell, a protégé of Cung Le, and pulled out a unanimous judges’ decision at STRIKEFORCE: “Triple Threat.”

The media has emphatically shown its appreciation for Carano’s individuality. She has been prominently featured in a number of national magazines including Muscle And Fitness and Maxim. Big Biz Magazine voted her “The Hottest Woman In America” in its Spring 2008 issue and Maxim ranked her number 16 in its Hot 100 list published in May 2009. Carano has also been profiled in the popular ESPN documentary series E:60.

The 23-year-old Cyborg, who hails from Brazil, has established herself as Carano’s top rival by leveraging her superior strength and striking skills to pummel opponents. In her last start, also her Strikeforce debut, Cyborg manhandled Hitomi Akano on April 11, stalking and battering the Japanese fighter before finishing Akano at the 35 second mark of the third round.

Cyborg is a member of Brazil’s famed Chute Boxe fight squad and trains alongside her husband and fellow Strikeforce competitor, Evangelista “Cyborg.”

After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.
I'm still crushing on Carano. And after seeing Cyborg in action, I have tremendous respect for what she can do. This should be an awesome fight.

[MasterKiller]

Cyborg will crush Carrano.

[1bad65]

Cyborg will crush Carrano.

The scale will defeat both of them.

Vegas should take bets on who will miss weight by the most.

[GeneChing]

I got my fingers crossed, but I've seen Cyborg in action live and she's a freakin' terror. That being said, I'm impressed that Strikeforce is going with a televised female main event. That's very cool. Have there been other televised female main events?

Thomson vs. Melendez should be good too. Maybe I can get in covering Thomson since he's training with Cung Le...;)


STRIKEFORCE: "CARANO VS. CYBORG",
SATURDAY, AUG. 15, AT HP PAVILION IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.

Historic STRIKEFORCE Event Will Include the Eagerly Awaited Grudge Rematch

Between Lightweight Champ Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez and Much, Much More

SAN JOSE, Calif. (June 15, 2009) - Tickets for Strikeforce: "Carano vs. Cyborg," the mixed martial arts (MMA) mega fight card that will be highlighted by the long-awaited showdown between superstar Gina Carano and Brazilian brawler and powerhouse Cris Cyborg at HP Pavilion on Saturday, Aug. 15, are officially on sale.

Tickets start at $30 and are available at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070), all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).

The undefeated Carano (7-0) and her top rival, Cyborg (7-1), are slated to battle five, 5-minute rounds in the first-ever fight for the STRIKEFORCE Women's 145-Pound World Title.

The most-desired matchup in the history of women's MMA is also one that is undeniably the most dangerous assignment to date for a pair regarded as the preeminent female fighters in the world.

Carano, who will be trained for this fight by MMA legend Randy "The Natural" Couture, has achieved larger than life status over the course of the last year. In a Yahoo! online poll that named the "Top 10 Influential Women of 2008," the 27 year-old Las Vegas resident ranked fifth, placing ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and famed journalists Katie Couric and Barbara Walters. Carano has also been featured in the pages of Maxim and profiled by ESPN's newsmagazine show E:60.

Confident of ruining Carano's eagerly awaited return to the cage is the rugged 23-year-old Cyborg, who has been known to devastate foes with brute strength and has been calling out Carano for several months. Cyborg, along with her husband and fellow Strikeforce competitor Evangelista Cyborg, is a member of Brazil's famed fight squad, Chute Boxe.

In the Aug.15 semi-main, Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2), of San Jose, will put his STRIKEFORCE lightweight belt and eight fight winning streak on the line against current interim titleholder, Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez (15-2), of San Francisco,. Thomson won a decision to dethrone Melendez on June 27, 2008.

SHOWTIME will televise the two world title fights and up to three more bouts during a telecast that will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast.

A formal announcement regarding the other SHOWTIME fights, the non-televised undercard bouts and additional live event information will be made soon.

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(tm), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

[goju]

nah carrano by a long shot
plus shes hot so how could you not pick her lol

[MasterKiller]

I guess Gene will be buying one of these Gina Carrano Round 5 action figures:

http://i44.tinypic.com/27wuj44.jpg

[Tensei85]

nah carrano by a long shot
plus shes hot so how could you not pick her lol

Yea, I definitely agree! We need more eye candy in MMA fights.

Maybe cheerleaders or volleyball players should pick up MMA?

[Tensei85]

That is "Girl" Cheerleaders & "Girl" Volleyball players...

[BrokenTitanium]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/ufc/2485392/-MMA-ace-attacks-stunned-reporter.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=UFC


i guess Cyborg was just training.hahaha

[Tensei85]

Wow :eek:

The Cyborg is a monster!

[sanjuro_ronin]

Luckly the guy didn't lose bladder control !!

[MasterKiller]

Wow :eek:

The Cyborg is a monster!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2715018204_f7c8b6fd17.jpg

versus

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/2098059039_4bc9c95033.jpg

[sanjuro_ronin]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2715018204_f7c8b6fd17.jpg

versus

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/2098059039_4bc9c95033.jpg

Kind of an unfair comparison, no?
I mean, look at BJ and his awesome physique...
Probably a few others I can mention, but deep down I just wanna go back to thinking about being triangled by Gina :D

[TaichiMantis]

Yea, I definitely agree! We need more eye candy in MMA fights.

We need some ring boys in speedos for this match! Any volunteers...SJR?:D

[Dale Dugas]

I will wear my kilt..:D;):D;):eek::D:cool::eek:

[taai gihk yahn]

I will wear my kilt..:D;):D;):eek::D:cool::eek:

would that look something like this (http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&ei=FTA5SoySKYvuMsqY6JMN&resnum=0&q=Monty%20Python%20Flying%20Circus%20Scott%20of%20 the%20Antarctic&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=Monty+Python+Flying+Circus+Scottsman+on+a +horse&hl=en&emb=0&client=safari)?

[GeneChing]

The conference call


Playback Instructions:
U.S. Toll Free: 800-355-2355
International: 402-220-2946
Playback Passcode: 38666#
*The Playback will be available for: 60 days. (it will be good through Aug. 15)

SHOWTIME® AND STRIKEFORCE CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS;
GINA CARANO, CRIS CYBORG,
SCOTT COKER & KEN HERSHMAN
Thursday, June 18, 2009

"CARANO vs. CYBORG" - Saturday, Aug. 15, HP Pavilion, San Jose, Calif.,
Live on SHOWTIME at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast)

NEW YORK (June 18, 2009) - After an eight-month hiatus, Mixed Martial Arts' (MMA) leading lady, the undefeated and extremely popular Gina "Conviction" Carano (7-0) will compete in the first fight of her multi-fight agreement with STRIKEFORCE when she squares off with rival powerhouse Cris "Cyborg" (7-1) in what is being billed as a milestone event in women's MMA history.

The undefeated Carano and once-beaten Cyborg are slated to battle five, 5-minute rounds in the first-ever fight for the STRIKEFORCE Women's 145-Pound World Title, Saturday, Aug. 15, live on SHOWTIME® at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Tickets, starting at $30, are available NOW at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070), all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).

The most-desired matchup in the history of women's MMA is also one that is undeniably the most dangerous assignment to date for a pair regarded as the preeminent female fighters in the world.

Carano, who will be trained for this fight by MMA legend Randy "The Natural" Couture, has achieved larger than life status over the course of the last year. In a Yahoo! online poll that named the "Top 10 Influential Women of 2008," the 27 year-old Las Vegas resident ranked fifth, placing ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and famed journalists Katie Couric and Barbara Walters. Carano has also been featured in the pages of Maxim and profiled by ESPN's newsmagazine show E:60.

Confident of ruining Carano's eagerly awaited return to the cage is the talented 23-year-old Cyborg, who has been known to devastate foes with brute strength and has been calling out Carano for several months. Cyborg, along with her husband and fellow STRIKEFORCE competitor Evangelista Cyborg, is a member of Brazil's famed fight squad, Chute Boxe.

Highlights from Thursday's conference call:
OPENING COMMENTS:
SCOTT COKER:
"This isn't just the biggest female fight in MMA history; I really believe it's one of the largest female fights of all time. I can't remember when a women's fight has had No. 1 vs. No. 2 fight."
"To me, the fight is historic on a number of levels. It's the first time a woman has been on a main event on SHOWTIME. And secondly, the winner of this fight will be crowned the first ever Women's 145-pound STRIKEFORCE Champion."
KEN HERSHMAN:
"Gina has a long history of "firsts" on SHOWTIME. She was on our first-ever MMA card back in February, 2007. She was the first female fighter on CBS. And now, she's the first female athlete to headline a major fight card on SHOWTIME against Cris Cyborg. We couldn't be prouder to be associated with these two athletes."
"I think we're going to redefine what it is to be a female Mixed Martial Arts athlete."
"Not since 1996 when Christy Martin was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, have we seen a female fight or event like this."
GINA CARANO:
"This is an honor on so many different levels. It's an honor to be fighting on STRIKEFORCE . I'm really impressed with the cards they've put on."
"I'm honored to fight such a great opponent and to fight for the first-ever female MMA title. This is just all-around a huge honor.
"I'm really training hard and I'm looking forward to fighting Cyborg. I think it's going to be the toughest fight of my life. I appreciate all the love and support. It's going to be a tough fight, but I'm looking forward to it."
CYBORG:
"I'd like to thank STRIKEFORCE and everybody else. I am extremely honored to fight Gina. I don't think there is anybody else out there that is better than Gina."
"What happened on the Internet with me choking out that interviewer, that was just a joke. It was a part of the scheme and there was nothing serious to it."

[GeneChing]

here's that make weight issue:

How much do you weigh right now and how confident are you that you can get down to 145 pounds in time for the weigh in?
CARANO:
"I'd rather keep to myself how much I weigh right now, but I've never had any troubles getting down to 145. I've had trouble making 130 and 135.
"I think 145 is a perfect weight for me and Cyborg and I don't see any problem for either of us getting down to it."
CYBORG:
"I'm not weighing too much heavier than what I usually walk around at. Making 145 pounds is not a problem at all."

How does the change to five, 5-minute rounds affect your training?
CARANO
'I think this is going to be a tough fight. It's going to be tough even if it was three rounds or 3-minute rounds. Cyborg is such an amazing athlete and amazing fighter. This is all getting compounded by three: there's a title, I'm fighting Cyborg and its 5-minute rounds. So, for me, mentally, this has done nothing but focus me and bring back the passion that I need to train. When I have an awesome opponent to train for I'm in the gym and I'm really excited for it. All I want is for it to be a good fight and for us to do our best out there. I think that's what will happen. The 5-minute rounds are definitely going to intensify it, but we're going to go for it. I know we can do it."
CYBORG:
"In Brazil, my fights down there were three, 5-minute rounds, so this is really no change for me. When I came to the U.S., I was relieved that they were only three, 3-minute rounds because my cardio couldn't be any better. My training hasn't really changed at all.
"I'm happy that we're getting the respect we deserve."

Why did you start training with Randy Couture?
"Originally, when I first met Randy, it was before that SHOWTIME fight against Julie Kedzie. He just came into the locker room and said two sentences to me and it screwed my head on straight. I haven't really gotten to work with him for the last two years I've been a part of Extreme Couture. We both had different things going on. I knew he would be in Las Vegas for the months leading up to this fight, so I thought it might be important for me to really not try to manage all this high level of intensity. I just didn't want to have to deal with that all by myself, like I had to in the past. I'm not taking anything away from the managers that I've had, but there aren't a lot of people that can put it straight and organize you like Randy Couture. He's had the experience since the beginning of the sport. It was nice to not have to do it by myself and to have someone who has been through it before."

What were you doing to keep yourself busy in the past few months?
"When I first came into this sport I was looking around for somebody who had come in before me and had paved the way, and I just didn't see it at that time. I figured I would do it how I wanted to do it."
"I don't understand why everyone focuses on my looks. There are a lot of beautiful women out there. It's just kind of thrown me off my feet with the attention that I've gotten. Now, I'm getting more organized and I'm taking a break from all the hype and everything so I can be more true to myself. I'm trying to do my best with the opportunities I've been given and I think I'm really maturing. It will be nothing but better from here on out."

Why did you want to make this the headline fight?
COKER:
"The thought process was very simple. If you look at the caliber of this fight as being the No. 1 vs. No. 2 female fighters in the world, it was a no-brainer."

What does it mean to be fighting as the main event above all the male fights?
CARANO:
"A fight is a fight when it comes down to it and I know that it's going to be a very difficult fight. The fact that STRIKEFORCE put this on is a complete honor to once again have another first in history.
"I know that women's MMA is going to do nothing but get bigger from here on out. To have the first main event in MMA history, against Cyborg of all people, is just going to be amazing for me. It's such an honor, and since it's such an honor I just don't feel the added pressure. I think it's a win-win situation."
"I'm just so excited. I've never been so excited for a fight."

CYBORG:
"This isn't my first main event. Of course, there's always some added pressure. But, the added pressure is overcome by the happiness and the opportunity to showcase women's MMA with one of the best fighters of the time in Gina Carano.
"Perhaps one day we might even fight men!"

How deep is the women's fight division?
CARANO
"I just think that the problem has been exposure for women."
"People walk away from female fighting and they talk about it like it's the main event. It's just a matter of exposure."
"It's blowing up from here and I'm so honored to be a part of it from the beginning."

CYBORG:
"Gina and I are just the blueprints of what future MMA stars will follow."
"I'm excited for the potential for women's MMA and its potential to grow. I'd like to see that happening in the near future."

What did Randy Couture say to you?
CARANO:
"He sat down, and I'd never met him before. He sat down and my head was wound up a little bit too tight. He looked at me and said, 'You know why we do this.' And I looked at him like, 'No, why am I doing this.' And he said, 'because we love it, right?' His presence and his coolness completely took any anxiety that I was feeling and turned it into passion. I was ready to go from then. After that fight, I said if somebody can affect me that strongly I want to go train with them."

What was the first thing that your dad said to you when he found out you were fighting for the title?
CARANO:
"Jab, jab, jab. He's been supportive, but he hasn't been saying too much."
"At first, he didn't really like it, but now he's definitely one of my biggest supporters."

Have you guys had a chance to meet each other?
CARANO:
"Our rooms were right across from each other at one of the fights. I don't speak the same language as her, but it's been nothing but smiles. She seems like a great girl and I'm excited and honored to fight her. I couldn't have a better opponent to make history with."
CYBORG:
"I was very happy and loved the opportunity to meet her a few times. There was nothing but an exchange and a smile like, 'Hello, hi, how are you?' "
"There's nothing personal against Gina. We're both going after the same thing and only one can come out on top. It is what it is. I think Gina is a great person. She lives up to everything her image stands for."

Is there a day that goes by that you don't think about each other?
CARANO:
"No, there's actually not. I've been thinking about this fight for a long time. And now, more than ever, I think about her every day."

CYBORG:
"I think about Gina pretty much every day. She's on my mind whether I'm on the treadmill or training in the gym. Gina is on my mind constantly because she is such a great athlete and such a great woman."

How do you see this fight going in terms of the balance between striking and grappling?
CARANO:
"I'm prepared for everything because I know that Cris is good at everything. She's great standing, she's great on the ground. I'm prepared for wherever this fight goes. I think in the past I've been labeled as a standup fighter, but I'm not afraid to take it to the ground either."
"I'm going to be prepared for everything, however it goes, and, hopefully, I'll come out the winner in it."

CYBORG:
"I have no problem where the fight goes. Wherever it goes, it's going to be explosive, it's going to be fast and it's going to be happening. It's not going to be a boring fight."

How do you manage all the attention Gina gets?
CYBORG:
"I love being feared because that's one less thing I worry about when I step in there that the other lady is scared."
"I would hope that I can be known as Cyborg. I'd like to be the face of women's MMA, not just boxing and Muay Thai."

How do you plan on handling Cyborg?
CARANO:
"I'm just going to fight my game plan and try to be in the best shape possible. And, hopefully, just do my best and fight my fight and not anybody else's fight. She's explosive. We're going to find out how I handle it, I guess."

CLOSING COMMENTS:
CARANO:
"I'm honored to be a part of such a great sport. I think that it has changed my life in a lot of ways and redirected me. I've learned so much about the world through this sport."
"For this fight, it's one of the biggest honors and it almost makes me choke up to say that I'm going to be able to fight such a wonderful opponent. It's such a big deal for females in this sport. There are so many of them out there and there are going to be so many more in the years to come."
"I really feel like we're a part of something huge. I hope I make everybody proud and I'm looking forward to all the great fights in the future."

[BrokenTitanium]

check out this video, what a lucky guy to be so close to Gina, hey Gene maybe you should do an article on her and have her perform a choke hold on you :eek:

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=video.detail&gid=172010

[GeneChing]

Football & MMA? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54183) That works for me. So do those those tattooed bruiser mamas in their black sports bras. :cool:


Raiders Tag Team With Martial Arts Girlfight (http://www.nbcbayarea.com/sports/football/Raiders-Tag-Team-With-Martial-Arts-Girlfight.html)
By JOE KUKURA
Updated 4:15 PM PDT, Fri, Jul 10, 2009

If you're planning to watch Raiders-Broncos in Oakland, they'll throw in discount tickets to see mixed martial arts women's champion Gina Carano defend her title.

You thought that Raider-logo'ed commercial jumbo jet that only offers service in Asia was kind of an unorthodox promotion for an NFL team? Then this is really going to knock you out. The Raiders have entered a partnership to offer ticket packages that also include female mixed martial arts fights.

It's called "The Oakland Raiders/STRIKEFORCE Sports Pack," something that sounds even cooler when you say it in a monster truck radio advertisement voice. The deal offers tickets to the Strikeforce Women's 145-Pound Title Fight event on Aug. 15 in San Jose, plus upper reserved tickets to the Raiders' home game against the Denver on Sept. 27.

The women's mixed martial arts title fight plus Raiders-Broncos means you'll see a lot of personal fouls for your $62. That represents a savings of nearly 20 bucks off the price of buying upper-level tickets to both events individually.

The women's title fight pits Strikeforce 145-Pound Women's World Title holder Gina Carano against journalist-choking challenger Cris Cyborg. It's something of a historic bout. This card marks the first time ever that a women's fight has headlined a mixed martial arts card featuring both men and women's fights. So, you know, you'd be able to tell your grandkids about having seen that.

The Examiner's MMA writer Eddie Graveline -- jeez, everybody in this mixed martial arts community has a much cooler name than I do -- has obtained the flyer for this promotion, and it's as awesome as you'd expect. Both of the fighters are babes. The Raider helmet looks right at home next to those tattooed bruiser mamas in their black sports bras.

Give the Raiders this much credit, they're leading the league in unconventional promotions and partnerships during a difficult period for sports franchise ticket sales. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell frankly might not be on board with some of the Raiders' unusual promotional partnerships.

But then again, Al Davis frankly might not be on board with caring what Roger Goodell thinks the Raiders should or shouldn't do.

Joe Kukura is na freelance writer who will be known as "Joe NuclearMoneyshot" when he becomes a mixed martial arts writer.

Copyright NBC Local Media


BrokenTitanium - that link is hilarious and I'd so do that, given the chance. I'd be saying 'slower, slower' too. The way Gina sez 'don't be scared'...that could be my ringtone. :p

NOTE: Tomorrow is the live interview stream with those those those tattooed bruiser mamas in their black sports bras.

STRIKEFORCE.COM TO STREAM CARANO / CYBORG PRESS CONFERENCE LIVE FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN THIS TUESDAY! (http://www.strikeforce.com/news/news.asp?story_id=184)
July 10, 2009

NEW YORK (July 10, 2009) –-The eagerly anticipated Gina Carano-Cris Cyborg press conference and fan meet and greet session will be streamed live in its entirety, exclusively on STRIKEFORCE’s official website, www.strikeforce.com, from New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, July 14, beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT.

The wildly popular and undefeated Carano (7-0) and her number one rival, Brazilian powerhouse Cyborg (7-1), will take center stage at the WaMu Theater at The World’s Most Famous Arena one month before they face off in what is the most anticipated fight in the history of women's mixed martial arts (MMA) and the first women’s fight to headline a major fight card also featuring men.

At stake in the Carano-Cyborg showdown at San Jose, California’s HP Pavilion on Saturday, August 15 will be the newly created STRIKEFORCE Women’s 145-Pound World Title.

[GeneChing]

RE-INJURED HAND FORCES ALISTAIR OVEREEM OUT OF SCHEDULED TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST FABRICIO WERDUM ON AUG. 15

NEW YORK (July 21, 2009)*- STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem has re-injured a hand and will not be able to defend his title against Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on Saturday, August 15.

The other three STRIKEFORCE world championship fights remain intact: Gina Carano will collide with Cris Cyborg in the main event and the first STRIKEFORCE women’s 145-pound championship fight in history.

Nick Diaz and Joe “Diesel” Riggs will revisit their bitter rivalry in the first-ever STRIKEFORCE welterweight (170 pounds) championship matchup and Josh “The Punk” Thomson will risk his lightweight (155 pounds) belt against former champion Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez.

A replacement bout for the scratched heavyweight fight will be announced soon.

Tickets for STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg,” priced from $30, are on sale at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.STRIKEFORCE.com).

HP Pavilion doors will open for the event at 5 p.m. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME telecast of STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg” will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast).

After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.
I was trying to get together with Josh and Cung before the fight for an interview, but my schedule got really full and they're very busy, of course, so it's not looking like it'll happen...

[GeneChing]

I'd treat Cyborg like a lady too. Either woman could seriously kick my ass so it'd be foolish not to do so.

30 Seconds With Gina Carano (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/sports/26seconds.html?em)
Busting Out of Her Shell
JEFFREY MARCUS

Q: Tell us about your first fight.

A: My first fight was in San Francisco. I was 21. The ring wasn’t even up off the ground, it was over in the corner. And it was like 95 degrees in there — hot, sweaty, and there was like 400 people packed in there. It was definitely not legal. I didn’t really know what I was in for. I showed up and I ended up fighting a girl who was 12 pounds heavier and I was just like, ‘What am I doing?’ But after I fought her — I won — and I out-techniqued her even though she was larger than me and had more power than me.

Q: What’s your approach to fighting?

A: My strategy is always to get myself in the best shape possible and to surround myself with people who know what they’re talking about. And to study, like you would study anything. I think that in a lot of my fights, the reason I came out on top was because I had the better mind. I was able to keep a cool head.

Q: How are you preparing for your fight on Aug. 15 against Cristiane Santos?

A: When I originally started getting ready, I would write down everything I wanted to do — my boxing, my Jiu-Jitsu, my Muay Thai, my sparring, my strength and conditioning. And I had written out this little schedule, and it pretty much has me working out every single hour, all day long, kind of psychotically. So now I’ve tapered back to a really good workout in the morning and a really hard workout at night. That way, I have the middle of the day to relax and heal.

Q: What lessons do you take from mixed martial arts?

A: In my sport, what you realize when you walk into a gym is that not every guy who has a bald head, big tattoos and looks scary is really a bad guy. Every culture has a martial arts. And the U.S. is so diverse, it’s a way to bring everybody together.

Q: What are you doing when you’re not fighting or training?

A: I love to relax. I love to go to the beach. I love to go out to dinner and drink wine. I love being female. I’m really loving being female lately. When you’re in the gym every day and people are punching you in the face and it’s insane, you kind of just want to be held and treated like a lady.

[goju]

I feel sorry for you guys because im going to end up marrying gina lol

[GeneChing]

There's more on Sobral vs Southworth here (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51260).

RENATO "BABALU" SOBRAL TO PUT STRIKEFORCE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE ON THE LINE AGAINST GEGARD MOUSASI ON AUGUST 15

NEW YORK (July 27, 2009)--The highly-anticipated showdown between Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8) and Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1), which was suddenly cancelled by its original promoter last week, has been revitalized and will be contested with Sobral's STRIKEFORCE World Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Championship on the line at San Jose, California's HP Pavilion on Saturday, August 15.

The title bout will be featured during the SHOWTIME televised portion of the STRIKEFORCE: "Carano vs. Cyborg" mixed martial arts (MMA) mega-card.

"I am very happy that STRIKEFORCE has resurrected this fight and that I will have the opportunity to become STRIKEFORCE world champion," said Mousasi, who is in the midst of a monstrous, 12 fight win streak. The 23-year-old was crowned the first Dream Middleweight Champion and Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament Champion last year in Japan.

"STRIKEFORCE is one of the world's top promotions and I am proud to be a part of their roster of world-class fighters," he said.

His wins over Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and Ronaldo Souza last year cemented Mousasi's place as one of the world's top three middleweights.

Mousasi's last victory, a first round (1:20) submission of former K-1 heavyweight champion Mark Hunt in Yokohama, Japan on May 26th of this year confirmed his desire and ability to conquer opponents in a heavier weight class as did his first round (2:32) KO of Japanese heavyweight champion Musashi in a K-1 kickboxing rules bout in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2008.

The 33-year-old Sobral, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former national wrestling champion for Brazil, will defend his STRIKEFORCE championship for the first time since he seized the title from Bobby Southworth at HP Pavilion on November 21, 2008.

Sobral, a former UFC championship challenger, is riding a five fight win streak that began with his second round (3:30) submission of David Heath at UFC 74 on August 25, 2007. In his last start, he submitted Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with a brabo choke in the second round (2:36) of their meeting at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" at Honda Center in Anaheim, California on January 24 of this year.

A year and a half ago, Sobral relocated from his homeland to Orange County, California where he has since taken on former world championship boxing contender Justin Fortune as a trainer in order to bring his striking skills up to par with his expertise in submissions.

Over the course of 43 career starts, Sobral has faced and defeated some of the sport's best competitors including legendary K-1 and UFC champion Maurice Smith. On Sept. 6, 2003, Sobral knocked off three top-tier rivals-Jeremy Horn, Mauricio "Ninja" Rua, and Trevor Prangley-during a single-elimination tournament.

In the main event on August 15, mixed martial arts' (MMA) leading lady, the undefeated and extremely popular Gina "Conviction" Carano (7-0), will square off with rival powerhouse Cris "Cyborg" (7-1) in what is one of the most eagerly anticipated battles of all time.

Carano and Cyborg, the consensus two best female fighters in the world, will be the first women in MMA history to headline a major MMA fight card. In addition, they will fight for the first STRIKEFORCE 145-pound Female Championship.

STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2) will set out to defend his crown against Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez (15-2), the man whom Thomson dethroned by way of unanimous decision at HP Pavilion on June 27, 2008.

Tickets for STRIKEFORCE: "Carano vs. Cyborg," priced from $30, are on sale at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).

[KTS]

i'll be rooting for gina. she is much more of a personable fighter from what i have seen.

now, who will win is another matter.

at least this fighting is happening, unlike when laila ali was ducking ann wolfe - and probably still is.
that would have been huge for womens boxing, except that ali seems to cherry picks opponents.

[goju]

i think gina will mow through cyborg


ginas honestly in my opinion to strong for all the other female fighters


i just hope she dosnt mess that flawless face of hers up thats the scary part

[LSWCTN1]

Kind of an unfair comparison, no?
I mean, look at BJ and his awesome physique...
Probably a few others I can mention, but deep down I just wanna go back to thinking about being triangled by Gina :D

doesnt bjj have 'the mount'? wouldnt you like to be 'mounted' by her ;)

[goju]

id like to be put in the mounted traingle by her...
wow lol

[GeneChing]

Envy me. :cool:

[goju]

i hate you gene lol

[GeneChing]

I'll have something for y'all soon too.

MMA's Gina Carano brings striking looks, striking blows to San Jose (http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_13043922)
By Mark Emmons

Gina Carano has gotten used to the common reaction after telling people that she is a mixed martial arts fighter.

They laugh. They smile. Then they say it:

No, really, what do you do?

"People always think I'm joking until they finally realize I'm serious," Carano said. "Then they start looking at me differently."

The confusion is understandable. Carano, whose fight against Brazilian Cris "Cyborg" Santos headlines Saturday's Strikeforce event at HP Pavilion, possesses striking good looks. She has raven hair, high cheekbones and perfect, white teeth.

So, what is a pretty face like hers doing in a place like that? An MMA cage of rubber-encased steel, where blood is splattered and something perilously close to anything-goes mayhem occurs?

"It's not like I grew up thinking my life was going to be in fighting," said Carano, 27. "I kind of fell into it."

Now she stands at the intersection of sport and entertainment. The portion of the Internet that caters to the frat-boy element has made her one of the Web's most-searched women. Maxim magazine named her to its hot 100 list (No. 16).

But Carano (7-0) sounds almost embarrassed about the attention lavished on her appearance. She wants to be seen as, to borrow her word, a serious fighter and knows this bout against Santos (7-1) will be her biggest challenge yet to achieving mainstream acceptance as something beyond a novelty act.

"I've learned to take the compliments when people are nice enough to say things," she said. "Maybe the way I look does get people watching. But hopefully when they see me in the cage, they'll say: 'Oh, wait, she can fight.' I've dealt with people not taking me seriously all my life."

That includes the first three women she ever sparred against. She bloodied the nose of each.

"They wouldn't allow me to train with girls after that," Carano said.

So, how did this middle of three daughters who attended a small, strict Christian school in Las Vegas get into the testosterone-drenched sport?

Her father is Glenn Carano, a former Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback for Roger Staubach and Danny White. She grew up a rough-housing tomboy; the son her father never had. A good high school athlete who helped her basketball team to a Nevada state title, she clearly got her dad's genes. But she also identifies closely with her ex-cheerleader mother.

"I got my dad's ambition, but sometimes I'll watch my fights and I'll see my mom's look on my face," Carano said. "She's just tough."

But for her father, it can be just tough watching her step inside the cage.

"Words really can't describe what it feels like in my heart and soul," said Glenn Carano, now a casino marketing executive. "To see my little baby daughter in there, I feel every punch. In football, the butterflies would disappear the first time you were hit in the face. But when you're a spectator, those butterflies never leave. Sometimes I think she fights just to take years off my life."

Actually, the only reason she wandered into Master Toddy's Muay Thai Academy in Las Vegas six years ago was to watch her then-boyfriend train.

"A fight master saw me and called me fat," Carano said. "So I started training with him and eventually began to fight. My life hasn't been the same since."

She dropped out of UNLV and started kick-boxing. It was about then that Carano met Scott Coker, Strikeforce's founder, and told him she intended to be an MMA fighter.

"So I asked Master Toddy if she was serious," Coker said. "He said, 'Don't be deceived by her little baby face.' Gina is just one of those people that when you get in the cage, a different side of their personality comes out."

Saturday night represents a gamble for Strikeforce because this marks the first time women have been the main draw for a fight card. So as Coker tries to sell tickets, there's no way he is downplaying Carano's appearance.

"She's the girl next door who can really fight," he said. "That's the appeal. She has a charisma and aura. She's the Danica Patrick of MMA."

That, of course, can be a double-edged sword. Patrick undoubtedly received a career boost as she willingly became racing's pin-up queen. But there has been a trade-off — constantly dealing with insinuations that talent isn't the primary reason she reached the pinnacle of her sport.

Carano can relate. She has been criticized by other fighters for exploiting her sexuality. And you didn't have to read between the lines to understand what Santos meant when she said through a translator at a recent news conference: "It doesn't matter that almost all of the media thinks it's beauty and the beast."

For her part, Carano hopes to prove that she is the beast in the five-round, 145-pound bout — in which the fighters will split a $200,000 purse. With the fight being broadcast on Showtime, Carano is ready for her close-up.

She's also honest enough to admit that she wonders where this sport might take her. Carano already has starred as "Crush" on the new version of the campy TV show "American Gladiators," appeared in a small fight film and been the model for a video-game character. (She was a beret-wearing Soviet assassin.) So it's not hard to envision her someday in a Vin Diesel movie, battling villains, aliens or zombies.

Then again Carano also has no idea if she can actually act.

"You look at some athletes who try, and it looks really awkward," she said. "I don't know if I could develop the skills needed. If I've learned anything as a fighter, it's that you have to train to get good at something."

For now, that means proving herself in an MMA cage, no matter how unlikely that seems. Oh, and dad will be there supporting her.

"I'll probably lose about 10 pounds that day alone," he said. "I'll be a wreck."

Contact Mark Emmons at (408)920-5745.

[GeneChing]

I'm bummed that Josh dropped out again. He's been training with Cung Le. We were talking about doing a pre-fight interview with both of them, but that's moot now.

Posted: Wednesday August 12, 2009 11:55AM; Updated: Wednesday August 12, 2009 1:36PM
Josh Gross > INSIDE MMA
Carano, Cyborg have keys to steal the show -- and they likely will (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/josh_gross/08/12/strikeforce.preview/)

In a sport where rivalries between promoters generate as much buzz as fights between fighters, there's a couple battles worth mentioning Saturday night.

Holding its first card since trumping the Ultimate Fighting Championship for the rights to feature Fedor Emelianenko in the U.S., Strikeforce returns home to San Jose, Calif., for what its CEO and founder Scott Coker expects to be the company's most important show in the 25 years he's been in the fight promotion business.

While bout sheets for the event (Showtime, 10:30 p.m. ET/PT) haven't remained intact for so long as a week since the "mega-fight card" was first announced two months ago, the top of the bill -- a fight between female star Gina Carano, one of mixed martial arts' unique characters, and Brazilian mauler Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos -- has held firm. That's good, considering a handful of quality title bouts fell apart, and Strikeforce and Showtime invested nearly all of their marketing resources toward building up what has been dubbed the most anticipated fight in women's combat sports. Whether or not that translates into a good rating for Strikeforce's premium television partner, Carano-Cyborg is history making -- and it should deliver a pretty solid scrap.

Since debuting as a professional in 2006, Carano (7-0) emerged as one of MMA's first crossover stars. Listed ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama on a poll conducted by Yahoo! of the 10 most influential women of 2008, the 27-year-old Las Vegan has been asked to strike a balance not often required of her male counterparts.

After losing her pro debut in 2005, "Cyborg" -- a nickname taken from her husband, fellow fighter Evangelista Santos -- rattled off seven consecutive wins. While she sports a respectable ledger, the brutality with which Santos wins fights makes her compelling as she vies for Strikeforce's vacant 145-pound women's title -- a bout scheduled for five, five-minute rounds.

In all likelihood, Carano-Cyborg will be remembered as a battle of attrition. The fighters have touted a war, one likely to play out on the feet as each is comfortable in a firefight. Will Santos' aggression and pressure wilt Carano? Can Cyborg put away a skilled opponent who won't give up 10 to 15 pounds?

The consensus holds that Cyborg's Muay Thai will overwhelm Carano's. That's entirely plausible, but so is Carano mustering the courage to stand in the pocket and unload straight punches against a wild opponent.

As these things go when women fight on the same card as men, they often steal the show. On Saturday, they've been handed the keys.

Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi

A refugee lost amid Affliction's rubble, Strikeforce co-opted this light heavyweight fight as one of several replacement bouts when its original lineup went to shambles. It's quite an addition. Sobral, one of the most experienced 205-pounders outside the UFC, will now fight Mousasi, a ****y talent from the Netherlands, with his Strikeforce belt on the line. Added incentive wasn't necessary, but it's welcome.

As skill and talent go, few have more potential than the Iranian-born, Dutch-reared fighter of Armenian heritage who was ranked by many in the top five at 185 pounds before moving up in weight this year. At just 24 years of age with an impressive 25-2-1 record in mixed martial arts, the kid is a striker first, but he has worked hard to incorporate submission and grappling into his game.

Against Sobral (35-8), the challenger meets a top 10 champion who has fought everywhere and anyone for a decade. It could be a mistake for "Babalu" to strike with Mousasi, but he might do it anyhow. We've seen it before. While the 34-year-old Strikeforce champion is a better wrestler coming into the five-round title fight, he's also highly emotional. Mistakes in game plan and execution have cost him in the past, and we could very well see that scenario play out again Saturday.

Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida

Set for the Strikeforce interim lightweight title after the organization's champion, Josh Thomson, bowed out with a leg injury two weeks before the fight, Melendez (15-2) and Ishida meet in a rematch of a New Year's Eve bout two years ago that left Melendez with the first blemish of his career.

On short notice, it's terrific, though the 30-year-old Ishida's profile took a hit in May when he lost to Mizuto Hirota in 93 seconds in Japan. Still, if Melendez wasn't going to get a crack at Thomson's belt, he'll take a chance to avenge the first defeat of his career.

Their fight in 2007 was basically an extra long, extra intense wrestling match. Because Melendez made the mistake of not mixing things up, Ishida (18-5-1) capitalized by controlling positionally and more importantly, winning scrambles.

With a full training camp behind him, Melendez, 25, should have an edge in conditioning. And over the course of a five-round fight, that alone might be enough for him to even his mark against Ishida at 1-1.

[GeneChing]

She's an amazing fighter. It's interesting to see how appearance plays into this fight - it's unlike anything that's happened in men's MMA.

'Cyborg' plays role of fighter, not villain or pioneer (http://www.cbssports.com/mma/story/12057031)
Aug. 12, 2009
By Todd Martin
Special to CBSSports.com

There are a number of stories heading into Saturday night's Strikeforce main event of Gina Carano vs. Cris "Cyborg" Santos. It's the biggest women's fight of all time, a testament to how well female fighters can capture the public imagination. It's also a battle between the photogenic "girl next door" Carano and the intimidating Brazilian slugger Cyborg.

Ultimately for Cyborg, however, it's just about the fight.

Cyborg trained in mixed martial arts for years at the vaunted Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil. Her style closely emulates the old style of Chute Boxe legend Wanderlei Silva, who charged at opponents in Pride with fierce, unrelenting aggression. Cyborg's striking ability inspired enough fear in opponents that she had difficulty finding opponents for fights in Brazil.

Her options there limited, Cyborg came to fight in the United States. Few could have expected before her first American fight last July that in a little over a year she would be headlining a major fight card.

At the time, Gina Carano was gaining popularity as the female face of mixed martial arts. Cyborg's aggressive standup style made her seem the perfect foil for Carano's Muay Thai skills. A Carano-Cyborg bout became a big topic of discussion, and Strikeforce finally put together the bout and made it the main event of a major show. Her whirlwind ascent means mixed feelings for Cyborg.

"I'm surprised of course to be in this position because Strikeforce is the second biggest show on the planet," Cyborg told CBSSports.com through translator Ivan Canello. "But I also believe it is a consequence of my hard work. I've had good fights in Brazil and went without opponents because no one would fight me. I believe God is blessing me with this opportunity."

While the fight is being promoted as an important event for female mixed martial arts, it's not an angle Cris Cyborg is eager to discuss. Asked about the importance of the fight for female MMA and fan reactions to it, Cyborg deflects questions and focuses simply on her personal goals and desire to represent her team well.

Cyborg's training for the Carano fight has taken place in Southern California, but with a distinctive Brazilian flavor. She has brought in a number of trainers from Chute Boxe to supplement those already in the U.S.

"I am going to present the best Chute Boxe that everyone can watch," Cyborg says. "I will be aggressive like my husband [fellow Strikeforce fighter Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos] and all the fighters from Chute Boxe."

Given Cyborg's tenacious style, there are questions about her ability to maintain a torrid pace. Her recent fights were scheduled for three three-minute rounds, but California has recently authorized five-minute rounds for female fights. Cyborg-Carano is a title fight and thus will have five five-minute rounds, nearly triple the scheduled time of Cyborg's most recent fight.

Cyborg and Carano are likely to engage in a Muay Thai showdown early, but the fight could end up turning more on cardiovascular conditioning than on standup techniques. Cyborg insists she is prepared for a longer fight and always has been.

"I did no special training for this fight," Cyborg says. "I always prepared myself for all the rounds. My stamina is always good. I bring my Chute Boxe style, and if I can finish it early, I will."

A consistent issue in women's MMA has been making weight. Both fighters have had trouble making weight in the past, and it would be embarrassing if the biggest fight in women's MMA history had to become a non-title bout because one fighter failed to make weight. Cyborg acknowledges weight is always an issue for her but insists there will be no problems this time.

"My weight is going to be hard like always, but it's under control," Cyborg asserts. "I'm going to make the weight."

Carano has been a big crowd favorite throughout her MMA career, and it's highly likely Saturday's San Jose crowd will strongly support her against Cyborg. She won't be surprised if that is the case.

"I am aware that Gina is going to have the fans on her side," Cyborg says. "Not everybody knows me here but that doesn't bother me. Once we are inside the cage, it's Gina vs. me as fighters and the crowd booing won't make me better or worse."

But Cyborg doesn't relish the role of villain. Rather, she views herself as a fighter doing her job and has nothing bad to say about her opponent.

"I don't have anything against Gina," Cyborg notes. "I like Gina and think she is a good person. I will go for the face because I always go for the face with knees, kicks and punches. But that's just the consequence of the fight. It's easier to get the knockout."

Ultimately, Cyborg's motivations for the fight aren't going to influence the way she is perceived. If fans want to celebrate her as a pioneer, she will be celebrated. If fans want to root against her, they will. Professional athletes' images are often trapped by the popular imagination.

What Cyborg can control is much simpler: the fight outcome. If her hand is raised at the end of the night, little else matters.

[goju]

id say first round knock out by gina :)
i think shes too strong for any female fighter out there

[GeneChing]

We're all hypnotized by her.

Carano lifeblood of women’s MMA (http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ki-carano081109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports Aug 12, 2:30 am EDT

Gina Carano has done hundreds of interviews and personal appearances since the day in the spring she announced she’d reached contract terms to fight Christiane “Cyborg” Santos on Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

And in virtually every one of those interviews, Carano can barely finish a sentence without beaming and chuckling a bit.

Santos is, by far, the most dangerous woman she’s ever faced, yet Carano exudes cool. The pressure on her in Saturday’s nationally televised bout is immense. There is no athlete in any sport, male or female, who is more important to the success of that sport than Carano is to women’s mixed martial arts.

The NFL made it without Tom Brady last year. Barry Bonds hasn’t played a baseball game since 2007, but ticket sales and fan interest continue to soar. Tiger Woods didn’t play golf for nine months, but courses still were filled and tournaments still were broadcast.

If Carano quit fighting tomorrow, though, she’d take women’s MMA down with her. She’s in the main event Saturday and has received superstar treatment, but there wouldn’t be a women’s fight on television, let alone headlining the card, if Carano weren’t involved.

Through it all, though, she manages to remain one of sport’s most humble and self-effacing figures.

Nothing seems to faze her. She seems as if she’s going to play tennis in the park with her sister, yet she’s fighting for the first Strikeforce women’s featherweight championship in the main event of a much-hyped nationally televised bout.

She was an instant hit in her first MMA bout and hasn’t slowed down. Yet, she doesn’t try to figure it out and just seems to enjoy the attention and the chance to increase the visibility of a sport she loves.

“I don’t have to be there for the sport to be successful,” Carano said. “I’m doing the best with this opportunity to represent the sport. I’m doing everything I can do. But the sport is awesome. It’ll make it by itself. They don’t need me for it to be successful. I’m being given the chance right now for a period of time and there will be another person with the chance next.”

Eventually, some woman would have come along who would have done for women’s MMA what Carano is doing now. Carano, though, has essentially created the industry.

It hasn’t been without potholes along the way.

Just as when Woods joined the PGA Tour and there were players who were unhappy with the amount of attention he commanded, so are there women who are unhappy that the world seems not to notice them and lavishes attention on Carano.

Eventually, those golfers who complained about the attention being paid to Woods were soon thankful that he was on the Tour when purses started to rise, crowds began to swell, television ratings soared and sponsorship opportunities increased dramatically.

Carano is doing the same thing for female fighters. She was the first woman to fight on both premium cable and network television and is now the first woman to headline a live nationally televised card.

Photo Gina Carano, left, and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will fight in the Strikeforce main event on Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif.
(Esther Lin/AP Photo/Strikeforce)

Whether she wins or loses on Saturday won’t matter, because her contribution to MMA will go far beyond a single bout. Because of Gina Carano, it’s OK to put a women’s fight on television. Men’s MMA is still struggling to reach the mainstream, but Carano is doing her part to nudge it in the right direction.

She’s been the epitome of class and grace in the most trying of circumstances. Most importantly, her fights consistently deliver. She’s one of the most exciting fighters, male or female, active today.

The fight on Saturday figures to be a Fight of the Year type of bout in which each woman will stand and throw power shots at the other. She relishes that type of head-to-head showdown.

“I think Cyborg said it best,” Carano said. “It’s going to be who makes the least amount of mistakes [who wins]. We both have things going for us. We’re about the same size. She’s got bigger muscles, but I’m pretty strong and I love to get down.”

She concedes the nerves occasionally get the best of her, but her trainer, five-time Ultimate Fighting Championship title-holder Randy Couture, has spent plenty of time advising her on the mental side of the game.

Couture is renowned for his ability to relax and remain calm and he’s shared his secrets with Carano.

“Randy Couture has taught me a lot of things, like the difference being anxious and nervous,” Carano said. “Nervous is negative. Anxious is when you expect to do well. There are good and bad days. I can’t let the pressure get to me. I’m still human.

“Some days, I’m wondering how this all happened and why I got this opportunity. I’ve gotten to go to Thailand, New York. I love life.”

That passion translates easily to the public, which picks up on it and embraces her. Fans love athletes who are highly skilled, highly motivated and who clearly enjoy what they do, as Carano does.

Her mere presence has made Saturday’s show an event rather than just another fight card. No athlete in any sport has had the kind of impact, particularly in such a short time, that Carano has had on women’s MMA.

All you have to do is watch on Saturday and you’ll quickly understand why. When she eventually walks away and hangs up the gloves, there will be little doubt that Gina Carano left her sport a lot better off than when she joined it.

[GeneChing]

I confess, I haven't been this excited about a fight since Le vs Shamrock (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50545).


Strikeforce's 'Cyborg' ready to knock Carano out (http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/9920692/Strikeforce%27s-%27Cyborg%27-ready-to-knock-Carano-out-)
by Steve Bien-Aime, FOXSports.com

MMA history will be made Saturday when Gina Carano fights Cris "Cyborg" Santos in an historic main event in San Jose, Calif.

They'll be the first women to headline a major MMA card. Also, the fight for Strikeforce's 145-pound title will be five five-minute rounds, which normally doesn't happen for women's bouts.

While Carano is getting lots of attention for her looks, Santos has been seemingly lost in the fold. After losing her first fight, Santos has won her past seven (five by TKO).

FOXSports.com's Steve Bien-Aime recently spoke with Santos (through her translator) to get her views on the coverage of the fight and what Saturday's bout (on Showtime) means to her.

FOXSports.com: What does Saturday's fight mean for women's MMA?

Santos: It's very important because it's not only me, but Gina, the first women's main event. This will open doors for girls in MMA, so it's very important.

FOXSports.com: Is there added pressure fighting in this particular main event?

Santos: Actually, not really. It does not matter if it's the first fight or the last fight, I'm going to train the same. ... I'm used to fighting in the main event in Brazil.

FOXSports.com: How do you feel about all the media attention Carano is getting?

Santos: It doesn't affect me. I'm the underdog. ... I feel I can present myself well with all of the attention on Gina.

FOXSports.com: What are the keys to the fight?

Santos: In all my fights, I'm going for the knockout. I'm a Muay Thai fighter. If the fight goes on the ground, I'm ready to submit Gina.

FOXSports.com: Are you ready to go five rounds?

Santos: I'm prepared to fight five rounds, but I'm looking for the knockout. It's the best way to finish a fight.

FOXSports.com: Would you look to fight in the UFC if it gets a women's division?

Santos: I'm very happy with Strikeforce because it's supporting me with good opponents, contract. ... If some day the UFC makes a female division and if it's a good opportunity, then I'll go for it. ... But, I'm very happy with Strikeforce now.

FOXSports.com: What are your plans for after the fight?

Santos: I want to rest a little and travel a lot. Then I want to go back and train and improve my technique.

FOXSports.com: Anything else you want to say?

Santos: Thanks to Strikeforce, my fans, my sponsors. I'll make a very good showing for all fans on Aug. 15.

[Taryn P.]

Wow, Gene seems a little precoccupied today. :rolleyes:

[goju]

he busy kissing his gina picture in his office loljk

[GeneChing]

Check out our latest e-zine offering: Gina Carano on Kung Fu (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=834)

[MasterKiller]

Check out our latest e-zine offering: Gina Carano on Kung Fu (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=834)

why do you have a pic of Kyra Gracie on that page?

[Lucas]

why do you have a pic of Kyra Gracie on that page?

cuz its hot :p

[GeneChing]

...I'm going to get him to change it as soon as he gets in. :o

Good catch, MK. I was wondering if anyone would notice that.

[GeneChing]

I just got this press release from Strikeforce

* * * FREE PUBLIC WEIGH-IN * * *

STRIKEFORCE: "CARANO VS. CYBORG"

Official Weigh-In This Friday, Aug. 14, at 4 P.M PT
At Marriott In Downtown, San Jose, Calif.

WHO: All fighters who will compete in this Saturday's eagerly anticipated,
STRIKEFORCE world championship Mixed Martial Arts event at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

WHAT: Media and fans are invited to attend the official weigh-in for the historic "STRIKEFORCE: Carano vs. Cyborg'' mega-fight card this Saturday, Aug. 15, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif, live on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Tickets, priced from $30, are on sale at the HP Pavilion (408) 287-7070, all

Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online

(www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ). HP Pavilion doors open at 5 p.m. PT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30.

Gina "Conviction" Carano (7-0) and Cris Cyborg (7-1) will clash in the main event for the first STRIKEFORCE 145-pound Female Championship. Other STRIKEFORCE world title fights: Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8) will defend his light heavyweight belt against superstar Gegard "The Dreamcatcher'' Mousasi (25-2-1) and Gilbert "El Nino" Melendez (15-2) will put his interim STRIKEFORCE lightweight title on the line in a rematch against Mitsuhiro "The Endless Fighter'' Ishida (18-5-1).

WHERE: Salon I, II, and III at San Jose Marriott, 301 South Market Street, San Jose, 95113, (408) 280-1300

WHEN: Friday, Aug. 14, 2009; 4 p.m. PT
Wonder if Gina will have to strip nekkid to make weight again.

[goju]

I just got this press release from Strikeforce

Wonder if Gina will have to strip nekkid to make weight again.

we can only hope and pray gene lol

[goju]

the caranosaurus fight is tomorrow im actual more excited that gene about this one i think!:D:D:D

[GeneChing]

Here's me, hard at work, captured on the official Strikeforce site.
See pic#2. (http://www.strikeforce.com/news/news.asp?story_id=193)

[sanjuro_ronin]

Here's me, hard at work, captured on the official Strikeforce site.
See pic#2. (http://www.strikeforce.com/news/news.asp?story_id=193)

You son of ***** !!!
LMAO !!!

[goju]

i want to work for this magazine now i will handle all gina carano interviews personally:D

[GeneChing]

And this didn't? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=953333&postcount=30)

I want you all to pay particular attention to the eye contact between me and Gina in that Strikeforce pic. Can you feel the chemistry between us? You can tell we're both connecting - captured on film. If only my got qi? logo (http://www.martialartsmart.com/95-036w.html) wasn't obscured by my camera strap, it would be a perfect pic.

You know, we're actually a lot alike. Gina and I are the same weight and height. We both have the initials "GC". And we're both smokin' hot. :p

Have you seen the Showtime segment where Franks Shamrock interviews Gina? It's on the Strikeforce site (http://www.strikeforce.com/index.asp) - click Strikeforce / Showtime Sizzle Video: Frank Shamrock Interview Gina Carano. It's hysterical.

[goju]

And this didn't? (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=953333&postcount=30)

its clear that gina carano is in love with goju, obviously she has a thing for young irish studmuffins who practice karate i will no longer take pictures of myself with another mans woman. in addition to my apology i will offer goju a year subscription to kung fu magazine and a free got qi tshirt lol



Have you seen the Showtime segment where Franks Shamrock interviews Gina? It's on the Strikeforce site (http://www.strikeforce.com/index.asp) - click Strikeforce / Showtime Sizzle Video: Frank Shamrock Interview Gina Carano. It's hysterical.

i think thats what you meant gene lol

[GeneChing]

Our reporter on the scene just texted me with the following:

Mob scene
:cool:

[GeneChing]

More mobbed now
Excitement is building in San Jose....:D

[goju]

**** i hope gina dosnt loose!!!!!!!!!

[GeneChing]

Cameraman from showtime hates me
I hope he's wearing his got qi? shirt (http://www.martialartsmart.com/95-036w.html) (and remembers to pull back the camera strap) ;)

[GeneChing]

Martinez out
Does he mean Melendez? Because that would suck.
I asked and he replied:

Could be :rolleyes:


Jesse taylor a pound heavy

Here's the fight card according to Strikeforce (http://www.strikeforce.com/schedule/):

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK AND STRIKEFORCE PRESENT “CARANO VS. CYBORG”

HP Pavilion at San Jose
Saturday, August 15, 2009 – 7:30 PM
Prelims at 5:30 PM (All times Pacific)

LIVE ON SHOWTIME SPORTS!

MAIN CARD (BEGINNING AT 7:30PM):

Gina “Conviction” Carano (7-0) vs. Cris “Cyborg” (7-1) – 145lb Female Championship Bout

Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1) - Light Heavyweight Championship Bout

Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (15-2) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (18-5-1) – Lightweight Interim Championship Bout

Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron (17-4) vs. Jesse "JT Money" Taylor (13-3)

UNDERCARD (BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY 5:30 PM)

Mike "Mak" Kyle (12-6-1) vs. Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum (11-4-1)

Scott Lighty (4-0) vs. Mike Cook (7-4)

David "Tarzan" Douglas (4-1) vs. Justin "The Silverback" Wilcox (5-3)

James Terry (6-1) vs. Zac Bucia (2-3)

Isaiah Hill (4-6) vs. Alex Trevino (3-0)

* Fight card and order of bouts subject to change
Note that James Terry is one of Cung's fighters. This is a rematch from Shamrock vs. Diaz. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53448)

[GeneChing]

Cung li on showtime now Note that I'm posting these as they're written and I know it's spelled "Le". Perhaps we should have twittered (http://twitter.com/KFM_KFTC)this.

[goju]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::confused::confused::(:(:
this is the most horrible day of my life

[Taryn P.]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::confused::confused::(:(:
this is the most horrible day of my life

Maybe she will need you to console her. :rolleyes:

[goju]

Maybe she will need you to console her. :rolleyes:
i can only hope

i think gene jinxed her by talking to her lets blame him jk

[xcakid]

i can only hope

i think gene jinxed her by talking to her lets blame him jk


Yeah I'm blaming Gene. :p

She needs to work on take down defense and the ground game.

Speaking of ground game, I wouldn't mind helping her out on that one. ;)

[goju]

it look like she gassed right awaY to no?i
nah sorry working on her ground game is my new position:D

[Taryn P.]

She undoubtedly would have done better if you hadn't kept her up all night! :mad:

[taai gihk yahn]

Carano looked tentative, flat-footed and ultimately stunned; anyone who thinks that she would have miraculously "recovered" for Round 2 is clearly clueless;

I agree though, it's all Gene's fault; I predict an angry mob with torches at his office tomorrow...

[goju]

i honestly love the woman to death but it didnt look like she took the fight training seriously that did not look like the gina ive seen before

[goju]

She undoubtedly would have done better if you hadn't kept her up all night! :mad:
i cant be blamd for being irresistible:D

well me and gene both had something in common tonight we were wearing i love gina carano shirts and louding cursing at the televison in chinese lol

[Mr Punch]

Carano looked tentative, flat-footed and ultimately stunned; anyone who thinks that she would have miraculously "recovered" for Round 2 is clearly clueless...Lacklustre and tentative, but I don't think outclassed. I read the fight report before I saw it and it sounded a lot worse. She was punching constantly, had several good recoveries and two good escapes on the ground. However, I think she was unprepared for how hard Cyborg was hitting and just how big the reach advantage was...

Looking at the vids of them training yesterday, I predicted this outcome, and would lay the blame almost completely on the trainers. Carano's looked unfocussed and unnaggressive, and too little concentrated on fight skills and explosiveness and more on endurance of the slowly carrying something variety... like the bit when they were bungie-tied to their trainers/equipment: Cyborg was doing sprints and fighting footwork, Carano was jogging.

And yes, Chris, she looked 'ultimately stunned': it's called a (T)KO! :p

[goju]

ive heard around the campfire couture is getting oola la with gina as well maybe they were to busy messin about and not training enough

[Mr Punch]

:rolleyes:




.

[MasterKiller]

Cyborg was just too big. Gina landed some good shots, but she just couldn't handle those bombs Cyborg was throwing. At one point, though, Gina had a full mount and gave it up. That, and getting caught in a heel hook and an Americana show her lack of jiu-jitsu skill.

I like Cyborg. Everyone dogs her because she isn't a covergirl, but she is very humble and down-to-earth.

[taai gihk yahn]

Lacklustre and tentative, but I don't think outclassed. I read the fight report before I saw it and it sounded a lot worse. She was punching constantly, had several good recoveries and two good escapes on the ground. However, I think she was unprepared for how hard Cyborg was hitting and just how big the reach advantage was...
it's debatable - I mean, what defines outclassed in this case? it's hard to say exactly as the field is not as deep as the men's side; it just seemed to me that Santos dictated the whole flow of the match, Carano never got her game off the ground at all; I mean, if you look at a lot of Carano's other fights, it seems like she often looses her structure, but the level of opponent she fights allows her to get away w/that; also, Santos is used to 5 min. rounds, Carano wasn't; put that all together...i.d.k.


Looking at the vids of them training yesterday, I predicted this outcome, and would lay the blame almost completely on the trainers. Carano's looked unfocussed and unnaggressive, and too little concentrated on fight skills and explosiveness and more on endurance of the slowly carrying something variety... like the bit when they were bungie-tied to their trainers/equipment: Cyborg was doing sprints and fighting footwork, Carano was jogging.
I agree, I got the same feeling: Carano never displayed the same level of intensity and even when asked about predictions, she seemed unsure of what she was up against - it was like Rocky / Mr. T. ...


And yes, Chris, she looked 'ultimately stunned': it's called a (T)KO! :p
lol; yeah, I meant before that - at one point she seemed to have this realization that she hit Santos w/the best she had, stuff that would have significantly impacted on anyone she's fought previously, and it didn't go anywhere - it just looked like that she couldn't quite understand what was happening;


Cyborg was just too big. Gina landed some good shots, but she just couldn't handle those bombs Cyborg was throwing. At one point, though, Gina had a full mount and gave it up. That, and getting caught in a heel hook and an Americana show her lack of jiu-jitsu skill.
yep; I don't think any of her previous opponents had the full-package like Santos, and it was overwelming - caused her to make some bad decisions and showed the gaps in her training; if she's smart and motivated, she'll learn a lot from this and improve her game;


I like Cyborg. Everyone dogs her because she isn't a covergirl, but she is very humble and down-to-earth.
I think she's very gracious and IMPO, a lot more sincere than Carano; she deserved this, no question;

what's up w/Cotoure and the women he trains getting pounded? (meaning the last debacle w/his wife - at least Carano didn't talk stupid afterwards!)

[zhugeliang]

well me and gene both had something in common tonight we were wearing i love gina carano shirts and louding cursing at the televison in chinese lol

Is Gene teaching you how to curse in Chinese? Very useful of him.

[goju]

yup youd be suprised the words i know now!

[goju]

the whole thing look weird why the hell would you give up the mount?you dont have to do bjj to know being on top of somebody is a good thing lol

[taai gihk yahn]

the whole thing look weird why the hell would you give up the mount?you dont have to do bjj to know being on top of somebody is a good thing lol

I think it was indicative of her having been somewhat disoriented in general by the first few shots that Santos connected with...

[sanjuro_ronin]

On that night, Gina got beat by a better fighter, period.

[monji112000]

On that night, Gina got beat by a better fighter, period.

Did anyone really think Gina was going to beat Cyborg? Honestly I never for one moment thought it was going to go any other way. It seems to me that people who were sure Gina was going to win, made that decision based on how she looks. :o
its not a bikini contest, its a fight. That being said I really would have enjoyed it more if they were topless. ;) Just kidding I enjoy female MMA. I hope this is going to be a permanent part of showtime MMA. if so I will order showtime...

[MasterKiller]

the whole thing look weird why the hell would you give up the mount?you dont have to do bjj to know being on top of somebody is a good thing lol

Santos shrimped and threw Gina off her base. Instead of fighting to keep the mount, she just stood up, which was probably her game plan because Santos is better on the ground.

[monji112000]

Santos shrimped and threw Gina off her base. Instead of fighting to keep the mount, she just stood up, which was probably her game plan because Santos is better on the ground.

it was the tactical thing to do. If she would have ended up on the bottom, it would have been a far worse choice.

[taai gihk yahn]

On that night, Gina got beat by a better fighter, period.

do you mean to suggest that on a different night she might be the better fighter? seriously; do you think she ever could beat Santos, and if so, under what circumstances? what would Carano have to do to be able to do that?

anyone feel free to answer this

personally, I think she would need to cut her hair really short (like crue / spike) and move to Russia to train w/Fedor out in the Siberian taiga...

[monji112000]

do you mean to suggest that on a different night she might be the better fighter? seriously; do you think she ever could beat Santos, and if so, under what circumstances? what would Carano have to do to be able to do that?

anyone feel free to answer this

personally, I think she would need to cut her hair really short (like crue / spike) and move to Russia to train w/Fedor out in the Siberian taiga...

A good boxer could answer this question better than me, but moving and not allowing her aggression to overwhelm her. Keeping Cyborg at a distance.. chopping her down slowly. JMO I honestly though that's what her plan was going into the fight. She seemed real comfortable with the Randy style cage grind.. so maybe working on that more.

[MasterKiller]

A good boxer could answer this question better than me, but moving and not allowing her aggression to overwhelm her. Keeping Cyborg at a distance.. chopping her down slowly. JMO I honestly though that's what her plan was going into the fight. She seemed real comfortable with the Randy style cage grind.. so maybe working on that more.

According to Randy Couture, that was her gameplan; unfortunately for her, Cyborg was more aggressive than they counted on kept closing the distance. At one point, Gina's strikes seemed to be backing Cyborg off, but she failed to follow up witht them and Cyborg regained her confidence.

[GeneChing]

You should have heard that audience. It was *the* loudest roar I've ever heard at an MMA fight, and I was in the house for Shamrock vs. Le (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50545).

Could Gina have rallied in round 2 if the ref hadn't called it with one second to go? Cyborg couldn't have got more than another punch or two in during that time. It was clear Gina was trying to hang on for the bell, but there's not much time between rounds to recover.

I'm going to do a little newsfeed surfing and deal with my email (it's Monday after all) then I'll post some more thoughts on the Gina Carano vs Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54184) (and I'll merge these threads after they die down, just for continuity's sake in the archive.)

One thing I will say now - that was one freaking awesome fight. Both Gina and Cyborg delivered. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire 4:59. There was solid action and some brilliant exchanges. LONG LIVE WOMEN'S MMA!!!

VIVA STRIKEFORCE!!!

[monji112000]

You should have heard that audience. It was *the* loudest roar I've ever heard at an MMA fight, and I was in the house for Shamrock vs. Le (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50545).

Could Gina have rallied in round 2 if the ref hadn't called it with one second to go? Cyborg couldn't have got more than another punch or two in during that time. It was clear Gina was trying to hang on for the bell, but there's not much time between rounds to recover.

I'm going to do a little newsfeed surfing and deal with my email (it's Monday after all) then I'll post some more thoughts on the Gina Carano vs Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54184) (and I'll merge these threads after they die down, just for continuity's sake in the archive.)

One thing I will say now - that was one freaking awesome fight. Both Gina and Cyborg delivered. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire 4:59. There was solid action and some brilliant exchanges. LONG LIVE WOMEN'S MMA!!!

VIVA STRIKEFORCE!!!
I have to agree I loved the fight. I really hope this is a big push for women's MMA in strikeforce. In my honest opinion the ref clearly made the correct decision.. Sure he could have let it go another round but Gina was not defending, and it looked very bad. The round was over.. but the fight was over too. :D sorry Gene maybe a rematch?? who is on the card for the next strike force? any female fights?

[Lindley]

The fight was more competitive then the reports listed it. Each was firing away. Gina can definitely come back. The problem likely was that part of her life is being "the face of Female MMA". This takes out time, serious time, for training and studying your opponent. She has a lot of skills and just needs time to hone in on a better game plan. Santos was the hungrier fighter that night and had less distractions. And it is likely that Gina was illusioned by earlier wins because she could recover from mistakes more easily against lesser opponents.

[sanjuro_ronin]

A good boxer could answer this question better than me, but moving and not allowing her aggression to overwhelm her. Keeping Cyborg at a distance.. chopping her down slowly. JMO I honestly though that's what her plan was going into the fight. She seemed real comfortable with the Randy style cage grind.. so maybe working on that more.

That works IF the boxer in question, for example, has strikes fast or powerful enough to keep the opponent "at bay" or at least "earn" their respect.
I am sure that Gina hurt her, just not enough to keep her from coming in.
You need to make a aggressive fighter PAY every time they close that gap, Gina didn't do that.

[monji112000]

That works IF the boxer in question, for example, has strikes fast or powerful enough to keep the opponent "at bay" or at least "earn" their respect.
I am sure that Gina hurt her, just not enough to keep her from coming in.
You need to make a aggressive fighter PAY every time they close that gap, Gina didn't do that. I follow what your saying 100%. it seemed like for a moment she was getting that game plan to work.. but in the end it wasn't her day.

[sanjuro_ronin]

It seemed that Cyborg (what a silly name) had it in her mind to take it to her and end if fast, she was probably surprised a bit when Gina connected and Probably take aback slightly at her power, maybe more than she expected, though not enough to change the inevitable outcome.

[SoCo KungFu]

do you mean to suggest that on a different night she might be the better fighter? seriously; do you think she ever could beat Santos, and if so, under what circumstances? what would Carano have to do to be able to do that?

anyone feel free to answer this

personally, I think she would need to cut her hair really short (like crue / spike) and move to Russia to train w/Fedor out in the Siberian taiga...

For starters she could put her heart into her training instead of posing drunk on a bed with a bunch of other girls (not that I didn't enjoy the pictures)

But she was making the same Gina mistakes. There were at least 4 times she had a WIDE open shot at Cyborg's chin but she missed, repeatedly. Cuz she once again fell into looping her punches instead of shooting em right down the barrel. And she needs to work her ground game. In the other fights she's gotten with subpar ground because she was bigger than her opponents. I always thought that when she faced a larger fighter her ground was going to get exposed.

[GeneChing]

For anyone who hasn't been to a live MMA fight, I totally encourage you to go. There's nothing like that roar of the crowd, nothing like being at a live sporting event.

Get there early to catch the undercard. The undercard fights can often be the most entertaining. Besides, you want to get the most from your ticket, so you're not going to want to miss the undercard.

There were 5 undercard fights for Carano vs. Cyborg

Alex "Spider" Torino def. Isiah Hill by submission.
I think this was RD 1 @ 3:15 by a keylock. Honestly, I wasn't that focused on this fight. Spider had fans with these bright pink spider shirts. That distracted me.

James Terry def. Zac Bucia RD 1 @ 1:23
This was a rematch from Shamrock vs. Diaz (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=929619&postcount=24) and far more decisive. Terry took out Bucia with a spectacular kick, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. It's a particularly interesting match up for us because Terry is from Cung Le (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=769)'s gym and Bucia is from Dragonhouse - Zhong Luo (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=130)'s gym.

Justin "The Silverback" Wilcox def. David "Tarzan" Douglas RD 3 @ 3:16 by RNC
Something about Tarzan vs. the Silverback amused me. After some brutal exchanges in RD 1, the bout turned out to be mostly wrestling with Douglas on top with the ol' G&P. The RNC was nicely executed.

Scott Lightly def. Mike Cook RD1 @ 2:05 TKO
This was ended quick with a beautiful punch to the midsection. Cook stopped, shook his head in disbelief, and took another shot to the head before the ref could stop his acknowledgment. What a punch. BAM!

Jay “The Thoroughbred’’ Hieron def. Jesse Taylor unanimous decision
This was the only fight that went the distance this night. In fact, most of the fights didn't even clear RD 1, much to the chagrin of Silent Assassin, who was our photographer and hoping to shoot some ring girls. ;)

[GeneChing]

Carano vs. Cyborg was plagued by several last-minute drop outs but Strikeforce still managed to put together some good fights for the night.

Fabricio “Vai Cavallo’’ Werdum def. Mike Kyle RD1 @ 1:24 with a textbook guillotine.
This bout was originally on the undercard but was swapped with Hieron vs. Taylor. That wound up being a good call. Hieron vs. Taylor was mostly wrestling and the audience was getting bored and booing. The decisive guillotine was a beautiful move and far more exciting.

Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez def. Mitsuhiro “Endless Fighter’’ Ishida RD3 @ 3:56 TKO
Melendez has always been a great puncher and was tossing out some powerful blows, but not really putting together many combos. Ishida was a classic Japanese judo player who beat Melendez early in his career, but was just getting out gunned. By RD, Ishida's ear was bleeding pretty dramatically and El Nino worked that ear with some very targeted shots. By the 3rd, it was Melendez on top with the B&G from behind and Ishida could no longer respond.

Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi def. of Renato “Babalu” Sobral RD1 @ 1:00 TKO
I totally called this fight wrong. Sobral had the crowd. He entered the cage all smiles and was clearly pumped up. Mousasi looked disengaged and detached. When he entered, his chin seemed too high, too open. But this was no TKO, despite what the officials said. It was a total KO, but Sobral was already down so he had nowhere to fall. Mousasi drilled him with shots once Sobral fell. You clearly could see that moment when he caught Sobral on the button and it was lights out. Sobral's limbs go straight and limp; his eyes just glaze. It was a beautiful shot and a big disappointment for the crowd (but not the biggest obviously). Mousasi didn't even break a sweat.

[GeneChing]

Attendance was strong at HP with 13,524 in the house. And it was loud, all in favor of Gina. For a moment, I felt bad for Cyborg. She's a great fighter obviously, relentlessly brutal like so many that have come from legendary Chute Boxe Academy. But she's not pretty, especially when juxtaposed with Gina and faces a language barrier. She was the perfect villain and the audience went for it, screaming out all sorts of cat calls about her having male genitalia (I'm cleaning that up - the cat calls were much more graphic - such is pro sports). Those probably rolled off her since she doesn't speak English, but there's no way she could miss the roar in favor of Gina and the boos directed at her.

You've seen the fight by now. It was a great fight. There wasn't a dull moment in it. There was no sizing up, no dancing about, no catching your breath. Two fighters in an explosive exchange - all MMA should be so exciting.

As for Gina's loss, she now joins the ranks of other media darlings like Danica Patrick or even Michelle Wie. The camera eats these ladies up. We want them to win just because they're hot and talented. The 4:59 call by the ref received so many jeers. When it happened, at first I wasn't sure if she made it to the bell or not. But once Cyborg made her victory salute, you could feel the energy of the crowd drop like a stone. I'm guessing she couldn't have rallied even if she made it to that bell. She was too slow to get up and there isn't much time between rounds. At least Cyborg didn't break that beautiful face. Gina took some shots for sure, but she looked relatively intact beyond a monster shiner.

So what does Gina do next? I can't see her going back to American Gladiators now. If she's going back in the cage, she needs to go through Cyborg to continue in MMA. Will she? Time will tell. Maybe she should look into Dancing with the Stars (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55016). If so, I'll be her partner.

As for Cyborg's win, she's an awesome fighter, no doubt about it. I look forward to when another woman emerges that can challenge her skills. If not Gina, who could that be?

[Violent Designs]

Gina deserved to lose when she gave up full mount for the second time.

[goju]

have afelling gina may just flake out and stop fighting
oh well ill take care of her fellas!:D

[SoCo KungFu]

Honestly its not the end of the world for Gina or her MMA career. Sometimes losing is one of the best things that can happen to a fighter.

On that night she was outclassed by Santos. But Cyborg was hardly perfect herself. She's not COMPLETELY out of Gina's league. But Gina is going to really have to put herself into her training and be hungry, like Cyborg was. That in my opinion has always been her main issue. Which is funny considering her nickname.

[taai gihk yahn]

So what does Gina do next?
there's always TCMA...:eek::eek::eek:
:D

[sanjuro_ronin]

Seriously guys, Gina got beat by a better fighter that night, which happens to every single fighter, with a few exceptions of course.
It was as if she didn't train enough or anything like that, she just got beat by a better fighter.

[GeneChing]

Gina would look so hot in one of these (http://www.martialartsmart.com/11-16.html).

;)

[Vash]

****** Gene, LESS clothes, not MORE. I can't go from seeing those legs in shorts to not seeing them at all.

Maybe a small Got Qi shirt . . .

[taai gihk yahn]

Gina would look so hot in one of these (http://www.martialartsmart.com/11-16.html).

;)

I think that we need a new "Gene Ching's Fetishes" forum...

[Lucas]

Gina would look so hot in one of these (http://www.martialartsmart.com/11-16.html).

;)

why not this (http://vampjac.com/lj/humor/gygax/NinjaStanding.jpg) instead?

[goju]

why not this (http://vampjac.com/lj/humor/gygax/NinjaStanding.jpg) instead?
i vote for this one lol

[enoajnin]

These are some photos I shot for the weigh in on Friday. I shot some of the boys, too. But who cares about those?

[enoajnin]

I had one more

[GeneChing]

Record-breaking viewer ratings. :cool:

Carano-Santos a ratings hit (http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dm-ratings081809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)
By Dave Meltzer, Yahoo! Sports 15 hours, 25 minutes ago

The Gina Carano-Cris “Cyborg” Santos match in San Jose on Saturday night was obviously going to be the biggest women’s mixed martial arts match ever in the U.S. And by every indication, those who were critical of putting women in the main event have to eat crow.

After a weekend when Carano and Cyborg were the No. 1 most searched subjects on Yahoo!, No. 2 on Google, and the most discussed topic on Twitter on Saturday night, the key number, the television ratings, was record breaking.

The Showtime broadcast of Santos’ first-round victory over Carano did a 2.2 rating with an average of 576,000 viewers, between 10:30 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. ET. The abbreviated show included three first-round stoppages in four televised matches. Both numbers broke the Showtime records set on Feb. 16, 2008, a 1.9 rating and 522,000 viewers for an Elite XC card headlined by Tank Abbott vs. Kimbo Slice. It also more than doubled the 275,000 viewers drawn on Strikeforce’s last major show on June 6.

Saturday’s bout was sloppy at times. It did not have the all-around skill level of top-level men’s matches, but when it came to excitement and crowd appeal, it was a huge success.

The crowd of 13,976, one of the largest non-UFC crowds in MMA history, reacted with every bit of passion as they did for Frank Shamrock’s fights with Cung Le and Phil Baroni in the same arena, which finished high in most MMA match of the year awards the past two years.

The event was promoted as a historical event. It was the first woman’s main event on a major MMA show, the first woman’s main event for any fighting event on Showtime, and the crowning of the first major promotion women’s champion.

The crowd was slightly different from the usual group that attends Strikeforce events in San Jose. There were more couples and more women in general than for most MMA events.

The Carano vs. Santos main event itself did a 2.9 rating and 856,000 viewers, adding 17 percent over the audience from the preceding Gegard Mousasi vs. Renato Sobral light heavyweight title match. Those numbers were far ahead of any MMA match ever on the network.

Also impressive is that the card did these numbers on a short show, as MMA events on television generally will draw better when they are longer, because the pattern is people will find out about the show and stick with it, and a longer show has a higher ratings advantage.

From a ratings standpoint, which throws out the obvious advantage a show on Spike or CBS would have because they are seen in more homes than Showtime, the match was not close to a ratings record-setting event for the sport. But it was the highest rating for an MMA match or event in the U.S. this year, even though as far as total audience, any first-run UFC television show on Spike will have more actual viewers.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship countered Strikeforce by putting the biggest show in its history, a replay of UFC 100 from July 11, on Spike TV. Being available in far more homes than Showtime, the UFC event did a 1.5 rating and 2 million viewers for the Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir fight. The numbers were significantly lower than UFC 91 drew for its replay with Lesnar vs. Randy Couture when it went up against an Affliction show in January. The decision to air the show wasn’t made until a few days prior, and there was significantly less advertising for this show as compared to Lesnar vs. Couture. The taped UFC event drew more males in the 18-34 age demographic than any live sporting event on Saturday.

The question is whether this unique match was a one-time phenomenon for women in the sport, or, like UFC when it hit big four years ago, something that will springboard the women’s side to greater popularity.

There is little question it was the personalities, or maybe more accurately, one of the personalities, Carano’s, which drove the event.

UFC has shown with every major star, like Randy Couture, Georges St. Pierre, Forrest Griffin, Brock Lesnar and Chuck Liddell, that fighters who become stars, don’t seem to lose marketing appeal with a loss. In fact, even with a series of losses like Liddell has suffered in recent fights, he pulled much higher numbers on pay-per-view for his most recent fight in April than he did his prior fight in September.

The idea that because the sport was built on Carano, that with one loss, it’s over, is ridiculous, even though those comments have been echoed in the past few days. You can make an argument that just being part of such a major event made her a bigger star, even in losing.

Santos, on the other hand, is a much bigger star. She has a crowd-pleasing all-out style reminiscent of a prime Wanderlei Silva, with whom she is often compared. Both came from the same gym, the Chute Boxe Academy in Curatiba, Brazil.

Will Santos draw similar numbers without Carano as her opponent? That’s unlikely. She probably won’t be able to singularly main event and carry a show on her back, but only a handful of people in the sport can, and it’s an unfair standard to expect from her. But a more fair comparison is will she, against Marloes Coenen, her next likely opponent, be able to garner the level of interest a man like Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler or Nick Diaz in a similar spot on the card can do? The jury is out, but based on her exposure, the odds are strongly in her favor.

[taai gihk yahn]

hopefully, people will now appreciate the level of athleticism that Santos brings to the arena, and stop getting hung up on that she's not a cover girl by fly-over country standards...

[sanjuro_ronin]

hopefully, people will now appreciate the level of athleticism that Santos brings to the arena, and stop getting hung up on that she's not a cover girl by fly-over country standards...

Crazy talk !

[Lucas]

Crazy talk !

daayuumm!!!

thats hot!

[monji112000]

Crazy talk !

I'll give you crazy talk.. I'm somewhat turned on by Cyborg.. :confused: When she destroyed that pretty, pris, cheerleader playmate.. I was so happy. It was like I was back in high school again, and all the females that rejected me were being pummelled.. LOL wow I guess I have deep-seated resentment for some people... ;) The thought of Cyborg naked does scare me.. a little. :o

[taai gihk yahn]

I'll give you crazy talk.. I'm somewhat turned on by Cyborg.. :confused: When she destroyed that pretty, pris, cheerleader playmate.. I was so happy. It was like I was back in high school again, and all the females that rejected me were being pummelled.. LOL wow I guess I have deep-seated resentment for some people... ;) The thought of Cyborg naked does scare me.. a little. :o

all this is because you are just a Glorified Kickboxer !!!

(btw, is it me, or do we all miss HW108 just a little bit?)

[sanjuro_ronin]

I'll give you crazy talk.. I'm somewhat turned on by Cyborg.. :confused: When she destroyed that pretty, pris, cheerleader playmate.. I was so happy. It was like I was back in high school again, and all the females that rejected me were being pummelled.. LOL wow I guess I have deep-seated resentment for some people... ;) The thought of Cyborg naked does scare me.. a little. :o

Don't worry, deep down, in the places people don't talk about at parties, Cyborg turns us all on and makes us all wanna say, "mommy".

[goju]

cyborg looks like the geico caveman:D

[taai gihk yahn]

cyborg looks like the geico caveman:D

on steroids...

[Lucas]

i'd tap it

[PlumDragon]

These are some photos I shot for the weigh in on Friday. I shot some of the boys, too. But who cares about those?Wow, Carano looks too cute and innocent to be fighting; she difinitely doesnt seem into it here, almost a forshadowing of the fight itself. Shes definitely the girl next door.

Nice pics...

[GeneChing]

Do women belong fighting in mixed martial arts? (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sp.4corners20aug20,0,473675.story)
August 20, 2009

It's too legit to quit
Lance Pugmire

Los Angeles Times

It's a good thing. The attention Gina Carano brought to women's mixed martial arts by posing for a Maxim photo spread - and, believe me, it was an eye-grabber - was trumped by Carano's getting her face repeatedly bashed Saturday night by Cris "Cyborg" Santos.

Before the brutal end, Carano and Santos engaged in 4 minutes 59 seconds of compelling action, a rugged battle that gave women's MMA the jolt of credibility it needs among a fan base that often takes its cue from Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The UFC, White has said, has no plans to add a women's "novelty" bout to its cards, but Santos' main-event TKO of Carano made "Why not?" a legitimate question for MMA's leader. The pressure now falls on other women fighters to match the commitment of "Cyborg" and Carano.

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Get real: It's the real deal
Sharon Robb

Sun Sentinel

Are we still in the Dark Ages?

Of course women belong in mixed martial arts. Women have every right to be in the cage, contrary to the belief of the majority of mainstream sports editors who still are reluctant to recognize mixed martial arts as a real sport with real athletes.

Female mixed martial artists are talented and schooled in every phase of the sport, from Brazilian jiujitsu to wrestling. They train with male counterparts who have the utmost respect for women.

The "safety factor" argument is getting old too. Referees have the athletes' well-being in mind at all times. If they see an athlete in trouble, the fight is stopped.

Wake up, people.

srobb@sunsentinel.com

Just stop the madness
Bill Kline

The Morning Call

Chicks and kicks? Good grief. What's next, Little League MMA? Is Hasbro product-testing a "Maim Game" for children 8 and under?

If big government ever had reason to get involved in sports, this is it. It's time it outlawed mixed martial arts, and not just for women but for men, children and beyond.

And while the Obamas are at it, they also should ban boxing. In MMA and boxing, you see, the only intent is to injure the opponent.

How can our government permit people to beat up one another - sometimes to death?

MMA isn't sport, it's barbarism. If I want blood, I'll call Quentin Tarantino.

Do the right thing and end the fight thing. It's a no-brainer - which is what the fighters will have in about 20 years.

william.kline@mcall.com

They shouldn't toe line
George Diaz

Orlando Sentinel

Another sign that the apocalypse is near: Females are going prime time in the mixed martial arts game.

Gina "Conviction" Carano fought Cris "Cyborg" Santos last weekend, marking the first women's title fight in the sport's 16-year history. Congrats to Cyborg on the big "W."

Equal opportunity is a great thing, and while it's true I've been titillated by an occasional cat fight hair-pull, I draw the line when it involves women trying to pummel each other in a blood bath staged inside a cage.

Just like women's boxing devolved into a nonexistent sport after a few blips on the screen, mixed martial arts for women is going nowhere. Same problem: Not enough talented competitors to sustain interest.

I think that's a good thing.

gdiaz@orlandosentinel.com
Carano vs. Cyborg was no novelty card. That was 4:59 of some solid MMA action. Anyone who thinks Carano and Cyborg are novelties has another thing coming.

[Lucas]

bill kline is a putz

[Vash]

Bah. Women's boxing declined in part due to the lack of deep talent, and few numbers.

No fiscal backing is what killed it.

As far as banning MMA, boxing, et al. Will not happen. And those too absorbed in their moral rightness will ne'er admit it. That's too bloody a fight to back out of.

[GeneChing]

There's a lot of places I could go with this, but out for respect for the Cyborgs, I'm just going to post this press release from Strikeforce and let you all run with it.


Undefeated Zak Cummings Replaces Injured Evangelista Cyborg In
STRIKEFORCE Challengers Main Event Fight With Tim Kennedy In

Tulsa, OK On Friday, September 25
__________________________________________________ ___________________

NEW YORK (August 20, 2009)-Undefeated rising mixed martial arts (MMA) star Zak Cummings (10-0) will replace an injured Evangelista Cyborg in the STRIKEFORCE Challengers main event matchup with American military hero Tim Kennedy (10-2) at Tulsa, Oklahoma's SpiritBank Event Center on Friday, September 25.

"Tim Kennedy sounds like a pretty tough guy and that's the way I like to fight so it should be a great fight," said the 25-year-old Cummings, a two-time national junior collegiate qualifier in wrestling for St. Louis Community College - Meramec.

A knee injury forced Cummings to withdraw before the start of the 2006 national tournament and, later, convinced him to return home to Springfield, Missouri where he discovered MMA. He has since regained his health and become well-skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing.

Despite his newfound versatility, Cummings credits his untainted success first and foremost to his consistent composure in the cage.

"Some guys get very emotional and some guys want to go out there and hurt people. I'm one of those guys that looks at MMA as a sport and a chess match, just like I look at wrestling," he explained. "In all my wrestling experiences, I stayed calm throughout any situation that happened. I didn't get frustrated and I think that's carried over into my experience in this sport. I keep my cool really well and it's paid off."

The 29-year-old Kennedy's return to action will be his first since he dominated Nick "The Goat" Thompson, stopping Thompson on the ground with an onslaught of punches in the second round (2:37) of their STRIKEFORCE Challengers meeting at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington.

After spending six years in The United States Army, the last three as a sniper in the Seventh Special Forces Group, Kennedy, a native of San Luis Obispo, California, recently accepted an offer to serve in the Texas National Guard. The career change will allow him the flexibility he needs to pursue his MMA career at a world-class level.

"I don't think anybody can really plan to see what I'm coming in to do this time," said Kennedy. "I'm working with the best boxing coaches and training with Mark DeLaGrotte, one of the best MMA striking coaches in the world, so I think that people are going to see a new Tim that they've never seen before."

A graduate of Columbia College in Missouri, Kennedy launched his professional MMA career shortly before enlisting in the military near the end of 2001.

"After 9/11 happened, I wanted to do something for my country," he explained. "The military is my life. I am going to serve as long as they'll let me. I'd love to retire in uniform."

A knee injury Cyborg sustained during a training session last week forced the Brazilian fighter to pull out of the bout with Kennedy.

Tickets for the event, priced from $25, are on sale at the SpiritBank Event Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com).

SpiritBank Event Center doors will open at 7:15 p.m. CT for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event and the first preliminary bout will begin at 8:00 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME telecast, which will include up to five bouts, will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

World championship MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE will produce the event at SpiritBank Event Center along with eXtreme Fighting promoter and five-time world kickboxing champion Dale "Apollo" Cook.

STRIKEFORCE Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today's top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

# # #

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

[couch]

From my FB:
Gina Carano releases a statement following loss to Cris “Cyborg” Santos (MMABay.co.uk)
Share
Today at 12:45pm
The world was stunned to see just how ferociously and dominantly Cris Santos beat Gina “Conviction” Carano recently. Staying relatively quiet following the fight, Carano has now came out and released a statement regarding the loss.

The statement in full is as follows.

“I wanted to take time to collect my thoughts and speak from the heart rather than spew out some cliché anecdote about a tough loss. I know I am a better fighter than the way I performed that night and was heartbroken to not give more to those who have been inspired. However, I find some relief in knowing that this has never been only about me, and now more than ever I feel freedom to learn and grow at my own pace.

I make it a point to constantly remind myself throughout this journey who I am, what I am doing, and why. Life is the most amazing gift and I want to live it for the right reasons. To my family, coaches, management... thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me, loving and encouraging me.

Also a special thanks to the fans who support me from their computers at home, watch me on television and scream for me in the stadiums. Because of you, barriers have been broken down and you have inspired me to believe in a larger dream. Congratulations to Cris Cyborg and the women of MMA who have a great platform to shine. I am more excited than ever for female fighters and this amazing sport which has transformed my life. God Bless.”

Gina Carano is still one of the world’s greatest female MMA fighters, and will undoubtedly come back better than ever, I’m sure training out of Xtreme Couture that her team mates will make sure of that.

[MasterKiller]

Gina's fight in "Blood and Bone" movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSzma6u0l-0