Gina Carano: The face/fate of women's MMA
I asked a question on a great MMA website www.mmajunkie.com (check out the site if you enjoy MMA ...you'll love it). What is the fascination with Gina Carano and women's MMA?...an interesting debate ensued.
Just for the record, I think that women should participate in any sport they want (combat and contact sports included). But I also think that women should fight on the front line during military service. Women can deliver or catch a beating or bullet too.
At the present time, I just don't see the skill level in many (not all) female MMA contest worthy of network TV. Gina Carano continues to be described as 'the face of women's MMA'. Though this is a title that she clearly does not relish. She wants to be seen as just another fighter. Not to demean Ms. Carano's athletic ability but let's face it...sex sells. Just ask Laila Ali.
Laila Ali, you remember her. A beautiful person both inside and out (I know her). The daughter of the 'Greatest'. She for many years was the face of women's professional boxing. She carried the entire sport (don't believe me? where is women's boxing since her retirement? you got it...hiding with Bin laden).
Much like Gina, Laila had a potential adversary in Ann Wolfe whom possessed by several accounts a greater skill set. But that fight was never made. And no disrespect to Ms. Wolfe, she ain't winning any beauty pageants any time soon. She's just one hell of a fighter that few have ever heard of and never got her 'big' chance.
Gina's Ann Wolfe is named Cristiane 'cyborg' Santos. By U.S. beauty standards she is definitely not Gina or Laila ( she's Brazilian and doesn't look bad to me). Gina is the anointed one while Cris toils on the non-televised under card.
History may foreshadow that once Gina Carano move on to greener pastures in Hollywood or gets mutilated by Cris Santos, women's MMA, similar to women's boxing, may have a very rough road ahead.
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