Is Santos’ Win Good for Women’s MMA?

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