Gina Carano discusses her journey back to MMA ahead of Ronda Rousey fight

MMA veteran Gina Carano has discussed the journey that led her back to the sport and a superfight against Ronda Rousey.

As we know, in just a few short months, Gina Carano will make her return to mixed martial arts when she squares off with Ronda Rousey in a blockbuster fight. It’s the first time Gina has competed in the sport for over 15 years, and it’s been almost a decade away for Rousey.

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While that may seem like a recipe for disaster in terms of the overall quality of this fight, there’s no denying that there is a lot of interest in this one, mainly because of the star power involved. Carano wound up becoming a big name outside of MMA, and now, she’s ready to prove that she still has something left in the tank.

In a recent scrum, Carano spoke about working her way back into the weird and wonderful world of mixed martial arts.

Carano reflects on road back to MMA

“I actually started my health journey in September 2024. Fighting was something I gave up, actually, like five years prior. I was like, ‘OK, this is not something I’m ever gonna do,'” Carano told reporters after the first press conference to promote their Netflix-streamed May 16 showdown at Intuit Dome. “But as it’s gone on progressively, I realized – it’s not that I needed it. It’s that I love it, and I want it, and that’s what gets me out of bed. There was other opportunities that came up after I settled my lawsuit with Disney, and I had to weigh those.

“What was more important? And I just realized waking up to have this fight was more important than (another) opportunity. Once I started weighing those things, I realized how badly I wanted it. I think that I wouldn’t be pushing myself so hard unless I had this. And I’m pushing myself. This is not an easy deal. I’ve come a long ways. But to push yourself so deep and so hard is such a blessing.”

“I find that it’s smarter – smarter training,” Carano said. “Because we used to go into the gym and just beat the living hell out of each other. Now it’s smarter, there’s recovery, it’s just a smarter sport now than when I came up and we just destroyed ourselves. … It’s just a different sport. It’s a more professional sport.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

What do you make of Gina’s return to the cage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!