Dallas’ Gina “Conviction” Carano to Headline Primetime MMA on CBS

Perhaps it was divine design or just plain freaky coincidence but whatever the reason it seems quite appropriate that mixed martial arts sensation Gina Carano was born amidst a tornado warning in Dallas, Texas 26 years ago.   Since breaking into the MMA scene over two years ago Carano has taken the sport by storm.

The daughter of former Cowboy back-up quarterback Glenn Carano, Gina’s foray into the testosterone driven world of mixed martial arts sprung from a Muay Thai masters curt tongue.  Living in Las Vegas Carano had stopped by a local gym to watch her then boyfriend train, a bold Muay Thai trainer at the gym made the dreaded “fat” comment toward Carano.  Enraged yet motivated, Carano immediately signed up for Muay Thai lessons from the very same trainer and what followed was a pairing greater then that of beer and chicken wings.  Carano soon amassed a professional Muay Thai record of 12-1-1 before plunging headfirst into the uncharted world of professional women’s mixed martial arts.

With a penchant for stand up style fighting thanks in large part to her extensive Muay Thai training Carano has rapidly rattled off an undefeated record of 5-0.  More impressively Carano has now become the new face of woman’s MMA and a legitimate crossover star.  In fact many Americans may recognize Carano as the gladiator “Crush” on the new season of American Gladiators.  But for all of her accolades and celebrity status Carano considers herself a fighter first and foremost and seems downright shy when pressed about her high profile life these days.

“You know, I kind of live in my own world anyway,” Carano explained to gathered media on a recent conference call.  “I’m very good at keeping a good head about me and really looking at things for what they are.  I’m not buying into hype in general.  I just don’t buy into it.  A lot more people recognize me and that’s a great feeling [knowing] most people that are coming up to me are very genuine.  It’s cool.”

It is that very humble attitude mixed with the odd combination of wholesome girl next door looks, free spirit party girl, and ice veined warrior that has made Carano a household name and a promoter’s dream.  Such is the very reason her promoter EliteXC has tabbed her to fight on their groundbreaking Primetime promotion this Saturday, May 31, on CBS.  The card will be the first MMA event ever to be broadcast live on network television.  This will arguably be the most viewed MMA event in the young history of the sport and when you consider the fact that the card will be headlined by media sensation Kimbo Slice, well it’s not a long shot to believe that the eyes of the nation will be tuning in.  For the fighters participating an impressive showing could catapult their careers into unseen heights.  The pressure to perform can be a suffocating experience but one that Carano claims not to be an issue.

“I don’t get nervous.  Fighting, that’s the fun part and I love that.  Being in front of people I’ve learned to get used to, regardless once you get hit, it all goes away any ways.” 

Carano is aware of the task at hand and while the demands of her life outside the cage can get overwhelming at times she assures that being a fighter is her main priority.

“I have to just get back to Gina being the fighter.  I have been in a completely different world for the last nine months, Carano explains. “I am reminded I love doing this.  I love fighting, if I didn’t I wouldn’t do it anymore.  I used to get so nervous [before a fight] and now I feel those nerves coming back and it’s like a whole different game now because I feel refreshed and I’m loving it.”