Bio: Gina Carano is a Muay Thai specialist who got her start fighting out of the famed Master Toddy Gym in Las Vegas, NV. Under Master Toddy, Gina competed multiple times internationally, garnishing a 12-1-1 Professional Muay Thai Kickboxing record.

Carano started in MMA in 2006 and became the first woman, along with Leiticia Pestova to have a NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) sanctioned bout, which Gina won. After defeating Pestova and then Rosi Sexton a few months later, Carano became the first woman, along with Elaina Maxwell, to compete for Strikeforce MMA in December 2006 — a bout in which Gina won.

Carano’s national profile exploded following her impressive debut for EliteXC during the promotion’s inaugural show on February 10, 2007, a bout in which she won against Julie Kedzie via unanimous decision. Carano and Kedzie made history in a few ways that night. First, they competed in the premiere of live MMA on premium television – SHOWTIME. Second, they were the first women to fight in a nationally televised MMA event; in what many have called the “fight of the night” for that historic evening.

She returned to the cage in September 2007 at EliteXC’s “Uprising” event in Honolulu on SHOWTIME, where she scored the first-ever submission victory of her young career when she forced Tonya Evinger to tap out to a rear naked choke at 2:53 of round 1.

Several months after the win over Evinger, Carano was cast as one of the featured female gladiators for NBC’s re-make of the “American Gladiators” television show. The visibility that came with being a part of a hit prime-time network show only served to make Carano an even bigger star. Her roles with AG and EliteXC puts her in the unique position of being a feature player on primetime network TV on both NBC and CBS.

Many mainstream media opportunities have resulted from her success in MMA including Warrior Nation (MSNBC); Fight Girls (Oxygen Network); she’s appeared on NBC’s TODAY show; has been featured by Maxim Magazine; and is expected to be in upcoming issues of ESPN The Magazine (May 21, 2008) and Muscle and Fitness (June 2008).

As a fighter, Carano’s striking skills have so far surpassed every mixed martial artist she has faced and now training under Randy Couture at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, she’s growing increasingly adept in the submission/ground game with improving takedown defense.

Storyline: Carano has not fought since September 15 during EliteXC’s “Uprising” event and was filming the second season of “American Gladiators” up until only a few weeks before this fight on CBS vs. Kaitlin Young. Young is a very powerful opponent who is not someone to be taken lightly. It will be interesting to see if Carano can overcome the extended layoff as well as an unconventional training camp.

On May 31, both Carano and Young will face their toughest MMA opponent to date.

Fight History:

• Defeated Julie Kedzie by unanimous decision in the debut of EliteXC (Feb. 10, 2007 on SHOWTIME) in the first woman’s MMA bout ever televised nationally in the U.S.; and the first women’s bout in which Vegas booked odds on.

• Participated in the first-ever NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) sanctioned women’s bout, in June’06 against Leiticia Pestova.

• Was the first ever Strikeforce MMA female bout, along with Elaina Maxwell, in Dec. 2006.

• Carano is also a Professional Muay Thai Fighter with a record of 12-1-1

• Gina became the first American female fighter to win a Muay Thai Kickboxing Championship in Thailand.

Notable Wins:

• 9/15/2007 in Honolulu, def. Tonya Evinger via rear naked choke submission at 2:53 of round 1. Evinger just seemed out of place in the cage and Carano was able to get the fight to the ground. She obtained an advantageous position and recorded the first-ever submission victory of her career.

• 2/10/2007 in Southaven, Miss., (DeSoto Civic Center) def. Julie Kedzie by UD (3 rds). Carano used superior striking and aggressive nature to control the match. Kedzie showed tremendous heart and determination in withstanding Carano’s repeated onslaughts. The capacity crowd at the Civic Center gave a standing-O for one of the best bouts, regardless of gender, on the 10-fight card.

• 6/10/2006 in Las Vegas, NV def. Leiticia Pestova by TKO at :39 of Round 1 when Pestova suffered a separated shoulder. Leiticia shot in quickly on Carano and after a brief scramble Carano ended up on top, ground and pounding on Pestova until Leiticia suffered a separated shoulder and the referee stopped the bout.

• 9/15/2006 in Las Vegas, NV def. Rosi Sexton by TKO at 4:55 of Round 2 when the referee stopped the bout due to Sexton’s inability to defend herself. Throughout the two rounds both Carano and Sexton traded punches. Carano clearly got the better of the exchanges. With five seconds left in the bout Carano floored Sexton with a flurry and the referee stepped in to call a halt to the bout.

• 12/8/2006 in San Jose, CA def. Elaina Maxwell by Unanimous Decision after Round 3. Throughout all three rounds the two women exchanged punches with Gina getting the better of the two. Elaina was able to take down Carano throughout the fight; however once they went to the ground Gina was able to quickly escape back to her feet. In Round 3 Maxwell had Gina in a triangle choke, when the two rolled over – with Elaina on top and Gina on the bottom – Carano escaped from underneath Maxwell, mounted Elaina and finished the round with ground ‘n pound, leading to a Unanimous Decision victory.

Scouting Report:

Strengths…

• Gina Carano possesses a high level of Muay Thai skills and is an eight-point striker that is equally adept at striking with her hands, knees, elbows and feet. She has very straight, precise strikes and has power in both hands.

• Carano possesses good cardio and can push a fight all three rounds.

• Having been in major televised fights and a featured star on “American Gladiators,” Carano knows how to perform in high-pressure situations. While Young and Carano each have five fights under their belts, one might give Carano the edge in experience.

Weaknesses…

• While she might be more experienced than Young in MMA, Carano is still relatively new to MMA. She is able to be taken down, and while her takedown defense is improving, it is at times spotty.

• Gina’s submission game is also inconsistent. While able to get opponents in positions for submission attempts, she at times forgets how to set up a submission properly and allows her opponent to escape. Must improve her wrestling so that she can control a position once she attains it. Her submission victory over Evinger last September was a major step forward, but overall, Carano’s jiu-jitsu and wrestling are still unproven.

• Carano has not fought since Sept. 15, 2007 and spent the majority of her training for Young while on the set of “American Gladiators” (Season 2). Come the time of the fight, Carano will only have had the benefit of 2-3 weeks of full-time training. Will that be enough to overcome her extended layoff in order to defeat an opponent as talented as Young?

Personal/Factoid:

• Gina was featured on ESPN’s “I’d Do Anything” reality TV show. She, along with Lisa King and Playboy model-turned-fighter LaTasha Marzolla competed in a challenge with the male members of the cast.

• Carano appeared in the independent film “Ring Girls.” The movie followed Gina and other American female fighters to Thailand to face female fighters there. The movie was then turned into a reality TV series on the Oxygen Network called “Fight Girls.” In the TV version, regular American women competed for a spot on Master Toddy’s team – with Gina as one of the mentors – that would go to Thailand and face female Thai fighters. Carano was the only fighter on the trip to win her fight.

• Gina’s father, Glenn Carano, played professional football in the NFL. He was a backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1977-1983. He later went on to the now-defunct USFL before retiring from football, eventually working for the NSAC.

• Carano is very family oriented. She often credits her family as her inspiration and driving force in her life.

• Gina was featured this January (2007) in an episode of MSNBC’s “Warrior Nation” TV show. Carano was followed around by MSNBC during her preparations for her Strikeforce fight with Elaina Maxwell.

• Other mainstream press includes NBC’s TODAY show; Maxim Magazine; and upcoming issues of ESPN The Magazine (May 21, 2008) and Muscle and Fitness (June 2008).