Gina Carano Lost 100lbs Training for MMA Comeback Fight

Gina Carano steps back into the cage Saturday night after nearly 17 years away, and she's calling the comeback fight with Ronda Rousey nothing short of life-saving.

The 44-year-old former actress hit rock bottom after being dropped from her Star Wars role in 2021 following controversial social media posts. She lost the career she'd spent two decades building overnight and found herself in what she describes as a "very hurting place."

"I remember being under so much physical stress that my anxiety hurt so bad that my skin hurt," Carano told BBC Sport. "I was having panic attacks and it was like the whole world was caving down."

The turning point came when Rousey, seeing her fellow MMA pioneer struggling, pitched the idea of a fight between them. When UFC negotiations stalled, Rousey contacted Carano directly, and the bout eventually came together under Most Valuable Promotions.

The fight gave Carano something concrete to aim for. She threw herself into training and has lost 100 pounds since September 2024, weighing in Friday at 141.4 pounds for their featherweight contest.

"This fight focused me and gave me purpose to aim for something, not just physically, but it consumed me," she said. "My health is so much better and I feel like myself, I feel comfortable in my skin, I feel alive."

Why This Inspires

Beyond the personal redemption story, Carano and Rousey are reuniting as the two women who opened doors for female fighters everywhere. In 2009, Carano headlined the first major MMA event featuring two women when she fought for the Strikeforce title, paving the way for Rousey's later dominance in UFC.

Rousey acknowledges that debt. After Friday's weigh-in, she greeted Carano with a hug and later said, "If she gets the greatest comeback story of all time, I'd be happy to be part of it."

Critics have questioned whether a fight between a 39-year-old and 44-year-old can match what it might have been a decade ago. But for Carano, stepping onto the biggest stage again represents a remarkable personal victory that goes far beyond wins and losses.

"You see so many fighters say they are going to come back but people underestimate the strength and commitment it takes," she said. Saturday's fight airs live on Netflix as both women make a dream come true.