After more than 15 years since her last fight, is Gina Carano on the verge of making a return?
Carano, 43, had a short but dominant career inside the cage from 2006 to 2009. The native of Dallas County, Texas, compiled a 7-1 record, and only three of those wins went the full distance. In her last outing, Carano took a TKO loss against Cris Cyborg for the inaugural Strikeforce women’s featherweight championship.
While several rumors of a comeback had surfaced, Carano never reached an agreement with the UFC, following the promotion’s purchase of Strikeforce. “Conviction Crush” also became more committed to her acting career. However, Syndicate MMA coach John Wood recently revealed that Carano has been training, and didn’t rule out a return to competition.
In anticipation of a potential comeback, we consider four opponents Carano may take on.
Miesha Tate
The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion is currently in a rough stretch, where she has lost three of her last four fights. Miesha Tate’s last victory came over two years ago, when she defeated Julia Avila by third-round submission in December 2023. In May, “Cupcake” took a unanimous decision loss against Yana Santos. Although Tate may be near the end of her career, a win against a former world champion could be huge as Carano seeks to put her skills to the test.
Joselyne Edwards
The native of Panama City, Panama, has endured an up-and-down tenure after she joined the promotion in 2021. Following back-to-back losses from 2023 to 2024, Joselyne Edwards is on a winning streak of three consecutive fights. Each of those wins has all come by way of stoppage. She is currently ranked No. 14 at 135 pounds.
Nora Cornolle
“Wonder” defeated Hailey Cowan by second-round submission at UFC 314 in April. In her most recent fight, Nora Cornolle was defeated by unanimous decision against Karol Rosa in August. It was the French native’s second loss in her last three fights. However, with only one of her nine victories going to the judges’ scorecards, a matchup with Cornolle is sure to be exciting.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti
“The Nightmare” has compiled a 5-0 record since her UFC debut in 2023. Jacqueline Cavalcanti is coming off a unanimous decision win against Mayra Bueno Silva in November. The native of Pirituba, São Paulo, Brazil, is ranked No. 10 in the UFC’s women’s bantamweight rankings. Cavalcanti could be an intriguing opponent, who is ranked within the top-10 in the division.
