Gina Carano is one individual in showbiz who has made a seamless transition between sports and television. She is an American actress and model. Gina has appeared on television and also doubles as a fitness model, she is also a former mixed martial artist. Talk about Jack of all trades. We discuss her life, career, and milestones.
Gina Carano’s Bio
Born in Dallas, Texas on April 16, 1982, Gina is the daughter of Glenn Carano, a professional football player, and Dana Joy. Gina was born the second child among three siblings and her full name is Gina Joy Carano. She attended High school at Trinity Christian High School in Las Vegas. While at the school, Gina was part of the girls’ basketball team that went on to secure a state championship. The University of Nevada was the next step in her educational journey, where she majored in psychology.
When Gina decided to become a mixed martial artist, she began training with Muay Thai and then stepped up to competitive MMA, competing in EliteXC and Strikeforce. Her interest in Muay Thai was triggered by Muay Thai fighter and then-boyfriend, Kevin Ross. Her record at Muay Thai read as 12-1-1, earning her chance at the first sanctioned female MMA bout.
She fought Rosi Sexton at the World Pro Fighting show in Las Vegas and knocked her out in the second round to win the bout. She beat Elaina Maxwell twice, first in Muay Thai and then in the first female fight in Strikeforce. Having not made the weight in an EliteXC bout with Kaitlin Young, she agreed to a forfeit of 12.5% of her purse, kept the match on the cards, and still beat her opponent.
Strikeforce created their first Women’s Lightweight Championship after a fighting bout was set between Carano and Cris Cyborg on August 15, 2009. When Carano lost the bout by TKO, it meant it was her first loss in her professional MMA career. Despite being billed for a few matches over the years which would mark her return to the MMA, Carano never made it back to the octagon. Despite bouts with Sarah D’Alelio and Ronda Rousey being announced and discussed, they never materialized.
Her mixed martial arts record makes for impressive reading. In a total of 8 bouts, Carano won 7 of those bouts, 3 by knockout, 3 by decision, and 1 by submission. In her only loss, she was defeated by knockout. Aside from having a career in MMA, Carano was also making her mark in acting.
Her first foray into the movies came when she starred in Ring Girls, a 2006 film. The movie was based on real-life events. She had stints on television with Oxygen reality series – Fight Girls and NBC’s American Gladiators. In 2011, Carano landed her leading role in the spy thriller movie Haywire. She was cast in the action thriller, Blood in February 2012. The movie was directed by John Stockwell. In Fast & Furious 6, Carano played the role of a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent under Dwayne Johnson who played the role of Special Agent Luke Hobbs. Her performance was praised by critics. Carano co-starred in Extraction, a 2015 film, and then appeared in 2016’s Deadpool.
What is Gina Carano Net Worth?
Gina Carano has been able to craft careers in both sports and the movie industry. She is worth an estimated $4 million and with her reputation on the rise, we can only expect to see that figure soar.
Husband/Boyfriend
Gina Carano was an item with Superman actor, Henry Cavill in September 2012. They were an item up until May 2013 when they called it off. But the relationship seemed to be rekindled but it did not last so long as they ended the relationship officially in December of 2014. She was rumored to have dated Kit Cope, a mixed martial artist but it was never confirmed.
At the start of her career in Muay Thai, Carano had dated Kevin Ross for four years. They were separated for ten years but were reunited when they decided to give the relationship another chance in 2015. The couple shared pictures of themselves and Ross referred to Carano as being “my everything”. They have remained together ever since there are musings that they are set to move the relationship to another level.
