Before the rise of Ronda Rousey and women’s mixed martial arts as a whole, there was Gina Carano.
During a time when UFC CEO Dana White remained adamant that women would never be a part of his promotion, Carano made a name for herself competing under the Strikeforce and EliteXC banners. Before long, she became the most famous female fighter on the planet.
In 2009, she famously stepped inside the cage for a showdown with Cris Cyborg, headlining an event on Showtime that featured the likes of Gegard Mousasi, Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral, Gilbert Melendez, and Fabricio Werdum.