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

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Mixed Martial Arts
21

The Oakland Raiders/STRIKEFORCE Sports Pack!!!

Football & MMA? That works for me. So do those those tattooed bruiser mamas in their black sports bras. :cool:

Raiders Tag Team With Martial Arts Girlfight
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. :stuck_out_tongue:

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!
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 STRIKEFORCEs official website, www.strikeforce.com, from New York Citys 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 Worlds 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 womens fight to headline a major fight card also featuring men.

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

22

Another Strikeforce Press Release

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…

23

I’d treat her like a lady

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
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.

24

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

25

Another Strikeforce Press Release

There’s more on Sobral vs Southworth here.

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/&gt; ), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/&gt; ).

26

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.

27

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

28

[QUOTE=sanjuro_ronin;941739]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[/QUOTE]

doesnt bjj have ‘the mount’? wouldnt you like to be ‘mounted’ by her :wink:

29

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

30

The perks of the job

Envy me. :cool:

31

i hate you gene lol

32

Some warm up news

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

MMA’s Gina Carano brings striking looks, striking blows to San Jose
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.

33

More news

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

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.

34

And from Cyborg’s camp

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
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.

35

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

36

Another Carano fan

We’re all hypnotized by her.

Carano lifeblood of women’s MMA
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.

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More from Cyborg

I confess, I haven’t been this excited about a fight since Le vs Shamrock.

Strikeforce’s ‘Cyborg’ 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.

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

39

he busy kissing his gina picture in his office loljk

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I’m just excited about the fight.

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