Chael Sonnen says Gina Carano’s team failed her at MVP MMA 1, pointing to her showing up five pounds underweight at the weigh-ins as evidence of unprofessionalism that set her up for failure.
Carano weighed in at 141 pounds for the 145-pound featherweight bout, well below the contracted limit. She was submitted by Ronda Rousey in 17 seconds. Sonnen addressed both issues on Smash Cast.
“Gina Carano shows up to the weigh-in at 141 pounds. I spoke to Gina one time in my life, and it was very pleasant; she treated me very respectfully and kindly — but this is a reality: Gina weighed in five pounds less than she needed to. Contracted weight of 145 and she got a one-pound allowance. They ask her ‘Why?’, and that is beyond unprofessional by everybody on that team. Whoever the coach is, the strength and conditioning coach, to get their athlete five pounds underweight, failed at their job. You can teach that to a nine or ten-year-old. If you’re underweight, you don’t need to cut more weight.”
Sonnen said Carano also showed no urgency once the fight started.
“Then she comes into a fist fight and doesn’t throw any punches, and doesn’t care. She could’ve quickly spun that — her days in Hollywood got taken from her, very unfairly. But she could’ve used a paycheck like this, and a Gina Carano vs. Holly Holm fight would’ve been really compelling. But not when you do it like that. You had an opportunity, and her team failed her. Those women botched the spot.”
Carano has not responded to Sonnen’s remarks.