Archive for Gina Carano Articles Category
Carano Unsportsmanlike? Oh, Shut Up
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One beating for Gina Carano was enough. She doesn’t need — or deserve — to be pounded on by cranky bloggers and media types for declining to be interviewed following her loss to Cris “Cyborg” Santos at Saturday night’s Strikeforce event.
Steve Cofield of Yahoo! was among those embittered by not getting to hear from the woman to whom he and the rest of the MMA media had devoted so much ink (so many bytes?) in the buildup to the momentous fight. He didn’t appreciate being left with unanswered questions, such as:
We still don’t know if she was angry that the fight was stopped with one second left in the first round. Or if she felt she was winning the round. Or if she’s planning on coming back soon. Does she want a rematch? Did the pressure get to her? Can she ever beat Cristian “Cyborg” Santos?
Good questions, all. But I’m with Sherdog’s Jake Rossen, who doesn’t see the point in sticking a microphone in front of Carano, Forrest Griffin or any other “freshly mauled” fighter who is “hopped up on adrenaline and choking on their own blood and snot.” Nice image by Jake, who adds:
I’m anxious to hear both Griffin and Carano verbalize their nights, but having some distance and reduction of blood pressure is probably good for a more comprehensible recollection. Being made to stand at attention and reassemble neurons two minutes after a beating isn’t going to result in any motivational speaking offers.
So true. But I have a bigger disagreement with Cofield and others who have suggested that Carano was being unsportsmanlike by not answering to the media. Nonsense. It would have been unsportsmanlike had Carano pulled a Forrest Griffin and not congratulated her conqueror . . . but Gina went right over to Cyborg after the fight and embraced her, then led the applause as referee Josh Rosenthal was raising the winner’s hand. And Cyborg was the only person in the arena to whom Gina Carano owed a thing after the fight. Not the bloggers or reporters. Not Strikeforce or Showtime. Not even the fans watching in San Jose or at home on TV. She’d already paid MMA fans the utmost respect by giving her all for 4:59 of furious fighting.
Thanks to: gina’s #1 fan
Article: thefastertimes.com, Jeff Wagenheim
Did Gina turn her back on the fans?
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Just read this article. I know I don’t feel that she has turned her back on her fans, media nor Strikeforce. I think it is to be expected that she’s hurt. Who wouldn’t be after one of the greatest matches of your career? What’s your thoughts?
– NO she didn’t and its ridiculous to think that those three sentences justify putting up a 400+ word editorial such as this on a fansite! A fan would know that.
Is Santos’ Win Good for Women’s MMA?
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For the holdouts, Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Carano versus ‘Cyborg’” put the defense on permanent rest, as 145-pound contenders Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos spent some of the most torturous five minutes in recent memory slugging, shooting and swelling. It was Santos who wanted it more, muscling Carano in the clinch, landing the bigger power shots and finally beating a grounded Carano as if it was personal with only one second left in the round. (An MIA Carano unable to be interviewed thanks to backstage medical intervention should suffocate any idea that it was a premature stoppage.)
Next for Carano: a seriously awkward position as gatekeeper for Strikeforce’s women’s division. Or, more likely, an immediate rematch with Santos.
Next for Santos: Carano, by virtue of being her physical equal. Japanese star Megumi Fujii is too small (115 pounds) to be a factor; new Strikeforce employee Erin Toughill is Santos’ size but an unknown commodity. Only Tara Larosa (17-1 and a barely passable 125 pounds) stands out as a challenge — and she’s signed with Bellator for a fall tournament.
Q: Will Carano’s vulnerability mean fewer tickets sold?
A: You could take the position that it wasn’t women’s MMA that grew in popularity during the past two years but Carano’s popularity in particular. Now that she has been bruised, it’s unlikely that the non-English-speaking, somewhat-less-angelic presence of Cristiane Santos will be a suitable replacement.
Q: Can Strikeforce cultivate a compelling women’s division?
A: Carano is a proven draw — her prior fights on CBS have attracted millions of viewers — but in doing so, she has run through a solid chunk of talent: Julie Kedzie, Rosi Sexton, Tonya Evinger, Kaitlin Young and Kelly Kobold. Santos also has gone on quite a run. Many of the remaining threats — particularly from overseas — aren’t their physical equal. Can you still be a draw if you’re fighting beneath your level?
Source & full article: ESPN Sports
