Gina Carano was one of the original crossover stars in women’s mixed martial arts, long before the UFC even introduced female divisions. With her charisma, striking style, and mainstream popularity, Carano helped push women’s MMA into the spotlight during the late 2000s and became one of the sport’s first recognizable female stars.
Now, nearly 17 years after stepping away from professional competition, Carano is slated to return to the cage against Ronda Rousey on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The bout headlines a Most Valuable Promotions card streaming live on Netflix and marks one of the most unexpected comeback fights in recent MMA history.
With “Conviction” finally making her long-awaited return, many fans have started revisiting her MMA career and asking one major question: when exactly did she last compete, and what happened in that fight? Let’s take a closer look.
Gina Carano’s Last MMA Fight
Carano’s final MMA appearance took place at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg on August 15, 2009, in San Jose, California. She faced Cris Cyborg for the inaugural Strikeforce women’s featherweight championship in what became the first women’s bout to headline a major MMA event.
The fight ended late in the opening round after Cyborg overwhelmed “Conviction” with strikes, earning a TKO stoppage at 4:59 of Round 1. That defeat marked the lone loss of Carano’s professional MMA career.
Following the fight, the 44-year-old Texan stepped away from MMA and transitioned into acting, eventually appearing in major Hollywood projects such as Haywire, Fast & Furious 6, Deadpool, and The Mandalorian. Over the years, speculation about a comeback surfaced several times, but no fight materialized until the announcement of her clash with Rousey earlier this year.
Carano initially retired with a professional MMA record of 7-1, including notable victories over Julie Kedzie, Kelly Kobold, and Kaitlin Young. Now, after almost two decades away from competition, she finally gets the chance to step back into the cage once again.