I don’t tolerate crappy fighters. If I think a fighter undertrains, if I think they waste the time and money of the fans then I will say so, but I never thought that I’d type Gina Carano’s name in a piece about those kind of fighters.
Gina is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the most beloved female fighter in mixed martial arts. People love watching her fight, they love her attitude and her charisma and, let’s face it, she’s a good looking lady, too. Not that that’s the be-all and the end-all in MMA, but it certainly has gotten her alot of fans.
Still, Gina is being given a free pass despite putting on an embarrassing showing for any fighter ranked #1 in their division. If she was in any way a controversial fighter, like Fedor (who’s #1 ranking is being called into question more and more often), she would have been booed from the arena for failing to make weight, and while she won her fight, she didn’t really come into that fight after training like a fighter.
I don’t know if Gina believes she can coast on her talent in this division, and maybe she can. There aren’t very many women in the 140 pound weightclass (any, actually) that can take her on. Still, it’s ridiculous that she would take a three week training camp and then say she’s really ready to fight.
Some people seem to be creaming themselves over her performance on the Elite XC card, a fight that was exciting for alot of people. The fact is, Carano demonstrated next to no grappling skills besides one of the most pathetic gogoplata attempts I’ve ever seen.
I’m not trying to be harsh on the woman who is America’s muay thai sweetheart. She’s a wonderful lady and a helluva fighter, but she needs to prioritize a little bit better.
Nobody is calling her out for the same reason nobody called out Chuck Liddell when he spent more time filming episodes of Blade then he did training. Nobody said anything because he was winning, but that train only goes so far, as Liddell learned when he ran into whup-dat-ass station and then dropped a fight to Jardine.
If you aren’t commited as a fighter, I don’t know what to tell you. If you don’t love doing what you do, you don’t love training, you don’t love fighting, then go ahead and bridge over into Hollywood. But I don’t think that’s what Gina wants.
Gina really does need to figure out if she wants a career in this sport or if she wants to be on American Gladiators, because, while everyone else seems to think that she can’t do both, she can’t do both an expect to remain #1 in the world while fighting women who spend all of their time doing this.
So I’m upset that Gina didn’t make weight, that she showed up out of shape and that she didn’t give the best performance that she could have. Mostly, though, I’m upset because she doesn’t seem bothered by it, and she’ll continue to do it again next fight, because no one is going to be telling her that she’s doing something stupid, so I’ll say it first:
Gina, it’s stupid not to train. Even if you can’t skate by winning fights the way you have been, you shouldn’t be screwing the fans like that, and if you keep going, it’s gonna come back and bite you in the ass.
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June 12th, 2008 at 11:37am
Agreed 100%, Josh. Gina Carano is unprofessional. She’s cute and vivacious (at least when she’s not 190 lbs.), but no MMA fan ought to be giving her a pass when she doesn’t make weight or when she belittles her opponents (like Kaitlin Young) who do make weight; come to fight; and take the sport seriously.
It has hurt this girl’s commitment to have Gary Shaw constantly kissing her ass like he does. It’s even more frustrating because there actually are deserving female fighters out there who could be showcased just as much as Gina is. We know that Gina has had some personal problems with her sister and some relationship issues, but she really does need to suck it up and prepare properly for fights.
My prediction is that Gina won’t last long-term. She’s had a lot handed to her, and like many people who get the red-carpet treatment, they come up short down the line. There will be better, hungrier woman fighters who eventually come to the fore and lead women’s fighting. Gina will go back to being a fat, out-of-shape, C-level celebrity with a pretty face. Look to see her on Celebrity Fit Club.
June 12th, 2008 at 4:04pm
Interesting piece Josh,
The problem with the entire situation is that she is still undefeated. Right now there may or may not be another female that can beat her, and she will be #1 until they can.
As for her priorities, I feel that is up to her. If she would rather be known as “Crush” than the Muay Thia beast, then that is on her. I think she sees the big picture, and understands that she can make more money out of the sport while advertising for it, than actually fighting.
Did you see the ESPN E60 that did a piece on her? It was really good.
Josh I agree, she should have been smashed for not making weight. I have never understood how you can be paid to fight and not make weight. Plus, while she is fighting she does need to commit to the sport. In the way Penn once was (and still could be), if she trains correctly she is going to be hard to beat.
June 14th, 2008 at 1:46am
Well 3 weeks training is really pushing it when one is used to more. As for her weight issue, this was actually part of her contract with American Gladiator. They required the women to weigh over 140lbs or something like that.
From the looks of it she has learned from this experience by not rushing in to another potential fight by July. So this is hoping that reality has set in for her.
As for her lack of ground skills, it takes a long time to be proficient in any martial art. It is not like the Matrix where they plug you up and then you open your eyes to proclaim I know kung fu. We already know that her Muay Thai is tighter than most of the guys in the TUF reality show. To be a great fighter it is best to be well rounded but at the same time be true to your roots.And striking is her roots.
Personally if I had the opportunity to choose fighting over a tv career, I would choose the latter. It is just more common sensical =0).
June 14th, 2008 at 10:34am
She certainly has a lot of potential as a fighter, but she either needs to move up in weight or drastically cut back with the whole American Gladiators crap. Once the show flops, maybe she’ll dedicate all her time to fighting again.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea for her to fight Muay Thai again, but the money’s just not there like it is with MMA.
July 18th, 2008 at 2:38am
I AGREE WITH ABOUT 95% OF WHAT THIS WRITER HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE FIERCE GINA CARANO. AFTER HER FIGHT WITH YOUNG, WHILE STILL IN THE RING, GINA WAS THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT SHE WAS “SLOPPY” DURING THAT FIGHT, AND THAT SHE NEEDS TO GET HER ASS BACK IN THE GYM AND TRAIN. SO I DON’T AGREE WITH THE WRITER STATING THAT SHE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT BEING OUT OF SHAPE AND NOT MAKING WEIGHT. IT SPEAKS VOLUMES THAT GINA COULD SHOW UP OUT OF SHAPE AND UNDERTRAINED, AND STILL SMASH POOR KAITLIN! SERIOUSLY, DID YOU SEE THAT POOR CHICKS FACE AFTER THE FIGHT???
ONE OF THE COMMENTATORS SAID IT BEST ” KAITLIN’S FACE LOOKS LIKE IT’S BEEN PIECED TOGETHER LIKE A RANSOM NOTE !”. GINA WAS OUT OF SHAPE, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS SHE DID NOT TOTALLY DISAPPOINT WITH THIS FIGHT.
I DO AGREE HOWEVER THAT IT APPEARS THAT GINA MUST MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS WITH REGARDS TO HER FIGHTING CAREER, BECAUSE THE LACK OF TRAINING IS BOUND TO CATCH UP TO HER AT SOME POINT, AND AS A TRUE FAN, I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE SHE REALLY IS THE BEST RIGHT NOW. SHE IS RIDING ON INNATE FIGHTING ABILITY RIGHT NOW, AND I THINKS SHE REALIZES THAT IF SHE DOESN’T PAY HER FARE, HER RIDE WILL SOON BE UP.
GIVE GINA A BREAK! I AM NOT MAD AT THE GIRL FOR TRYING TO NAIL DOWN SOME FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR HERSELF WITH THE WHOLE AMERICAN GLADIATORS THING. I PERSONALLY THINK THE SHOW IS LAME, BUT I GET WHY SHE IS DOING IT. I WOULD MUCH RATHER WATCH GINA FIGHT ( MUAY THAI MORE SO THAN MMA ), BUT I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO MAKE MONEY. IF GINA WANTS TO, SHE CAN MAKE BOTH WORK, BECAUSE WHERE THERE IS GENUINE WILL, THERE WILL BE A WAY. BUT IF IT ENDS UP THAT SHE HAS TO CHOOSE, I SURE HOPE SHE CHOOSES FIGHTING. AT THE END OF THE DAY I STILL THINK SHE’S GOOD FOR THE SPORT, AND WHO DOES NOT LOVE WATCHING HER FIGHT!
July 27th, 2008 at 5:43pm
I completely disagree with what everybody is saying about gina and her stupid weight is just just that,put into consideration that first of all men do not half to worry and try to cut weight,its harder for women to lose weight that quickly.And hello she kicked all there asses encluding katlyn young,and it was her good fighting skills that one the fight not her weight.As for training goes the reason she came in looking out of shape and as tired as she was is because of her training,Gina already said that after this season of gladiators is over she’s going back to her training and concentrate fully on her mma fighting,if you love the women so much its pretty ignorant to speak of only the things she’s doing wrong instead of doing right!!!Lets face it she kicks ass,and as far as her ground game goes hellooo people she just started training in her ground game and she has not kept the fact that its not her best area a secret from every one.If your such A fan of Gina’s maybe you should do your homework befor you all bash her for being one of our best female champions to ever set foot in the MMA ring and just keeps geting better…Love ya Gina
July 29th, 2008 at 9:57pm
Chrissie, I work with female athletes on the regular. Pro fighters and grapplers (I’ve worked with Kyra Gracie and Gina), and Gina knows that her weight issues are a result of under-training. She’s told plenty of people that and has said it publicly a few times.
If you think I don’t respect Gina for kicking the crap of Kaitlyn, I do. She’s a fantastic athlete, but she needs to commit to fighting. If she wants to be a Hollywood star, she’ll end up like Ken Shamrock or (worse yet) Tank, and I don’t want that. She’s too good for that.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:39pm
Dear Josh
Since you have personally worked with Gina you have my upmost respect,I was not trying to be disrespectful in any way,I have always been A huge fan of gina’s and I too do not want her to end up just another female face A *one belt wonder* so to speak.She is exalent at fighting and i’m looking forward to seeing alot more of her in the octagon,I heard she has A fight coming up on oct 4th is this right?And if so hopefully for this bout she will have more time to train so she makes her weight.I understand how important this is I just know that this subject is touchy for women,and gina is touchy with her weight to begin with.She has feelings too and I just thought this was one more distraction from her concentraiting on her fight to come.If she can kick katlyn’s ass with only three weeks to train I cant wait to see her fight with A few months of training I hope this is something she will commit to because she’s A power house and I know she has what it takes to go all the way.Can you please let me know if she’s fighting this oct please? sincerly chrissie
July 31st, 2008 at 6:16pm
She should be fighting in October. I’m thinking she may end up fighting another middle level Muay Thai fighter to showcase her standup (Gina’s grappling is always going to be a problem for her).
She should be fine with her weight this time, because she’s not shortening her training camp for the sake of American Gladiators. That, obviously, should make for a much better performance.
Gina knows she didn’t perform well in that fight. I talked to her a little after (over the phone and off the record), because she’s training with Xtreme Couture now, and I told her that the weight thing bugged me, and she was not happy about it either. She knew that she undertrained, and I don’t think she’ll do it again, but I don’t want to give her the impression that the fans are just going to ignore it.
She is, from what she’s said to me and what has been released by EXC, fighting on the card in Florida with Kimbo, though neither of them have announced opponents yet, as far as I know. There are some names that have come up, but I don’t think there’s anybody we know for sure.
Unfortunately, she’s not going to fight my girl, Kyra Gracie. Personally, I think that would be a crazy fight, and really fun to watch, but that’s just my personal agenda.
August 1st, 2008 at 6:22pm
Josh Im glad you got back to me I appreciate it,as far as the grappliing goes she said that its kinda foreign to her but she’s having fun learning,and has said on several different occasions that she wanted her fight to go to the ground because A submission would would be exciting for her.Is she completely done with american gladiators now?I know at one point in time she said she knew it was taking away from training time,and wanted to committ to fighting?Her stand up fighting is amazing,and her strongest area,so it makes sence to put her with another stand up fighter,but if they dont put her in the octagon with A good ground fighter how is she suppose to get use to it in the octagon?I think they should mix it up A little for her.Im happy that she should beable to make her weight this time,it would look good for not only her but her fans as well.Thanx for the info on her upcoming fight i’ll keep my eyes and ears open for who her next opponent,if you her anything befor I do about it let me know?
thanx Josh
August 1st, 2008 at 7:59pm
She’s done with the season. I would like her to be done forever, but I don’t think that’s realistic. They’re paying her very good money, from my understanding.
Her muay thai is great, and it always has been. She’s got alot of power and good head movement.
Shayna was the one chance that she had to really fight a substantial grappler, as Shayna is the only real grappler in women’s MMA right now (which is why I want Kyra to show up, though she’s too big for that division).
As far as the quality of her submission game, she’s worked on it alot so it’s probably much better now, but it wasn’t good the last time I trained with her. If she shows up against someone like Christiane Cyborg and doesn’t have a good display on the ground, she could get submitted very easily.
Still, I think a fight with Cyborg would be fun. They’re both visceral muay thai fighters, and they’re both going to play a large part in the future of women’s MMA.
I’ll post anything I talk about with her, but she’s not local anymore, so it’s less likely.