‘My heart is heavy’: Gina Carano releases first comments after stunning 17-second loss to Ronda Rousey
About 48 hours after her return from a 17-year MMA retirement that ended in just 17 seconds, Gina Carano released her first words about her much-anticipated dance with Ronda Rousey.
In a lengthy Instagram post, Carano, 44, admitted his “heart is heavy” after failing to live up to expectations against the UFC Hall of Famer.
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“I wanted to throw, to fight, to win, but I kicked when I should have moved and I was done,” Carano wrote. “If I hadn’t slowed down, I would have broken my arm, as it has already started to break.
For Carano (7-2), this past weekend was almost two decades in the making. A trailblazer for women’s MMA, Carano was the biggest star on the women’s side of the sport before Rousey’s arrival in the UFC in 2013. Carano and Julie Kedzie competed in the first-ever women’s fight that aired on Showtime in 2007, and two years later she made history as the first female Cyborg MMA fighter and the first Cyborg. Strikeforce featherweight championship fight.
Carano then retired from cage fighting and transitioned to being a performer, but was brought back into the fold by Rousey’s invitation to Netflix’s MMA giant.
Notably, Carano revealed before the fight that she lost 100 pounds over a 20-month period to prepare for the Rousey fight.
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Carano teased the idea of another MMA bout shortly after his loss on Saturday; on Monday, he repeated that.
“Now I feel that this is just the beginning,” Carano wrote. “I can’t wait to see where I can push my body to continue.”
Carano’s full statement after the fight:
This was one of the best rides of my life. I felt trapped at night in the fight. No fear just focus on good adrenaline.
Love to my team.
My heart is heavy, I wanted to throw, to fight, to win, but I kicked when I had to move and I’m down and I’m done. If I hadn’t clicked, I would have broken my arm, as it had already started to tear.
The disappointment of losing like that is very humbling.
@jonnybones & @officialcainvelasquez came to my table after the fight. They corrected my mind. Jon said, “You haven’t fought in 17 years? You know how big your balls have to be to get back out there after that long? Are you setting some kind of record or something? That’s exactly what I needed to hear from the best to do it.
I struggled with a calorie deficit all year, training felt like swimming as hard as I could go. I can count on two hands when I feel like I’m getting a good workout. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done to lose weight while returning to being an athlete. I felt like a science experiment losing 100lbs. Every week the pressure is on how to get that little something. I learned a little late how to be healthy but I am being tested by fire.
The California Athletic Commission is great and one of the strongest in the world. They measured me a week and a half before the fight, more tests and scans, more drug tests. We were weighed and weighed the night of the fight to make sure we were following the rehydration rules, which I passed easily.
I needed to get through this battle to implement permanent lifestyle changes and now I feel like this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see where I can push my body to go next. I’m so glad the world got to know this version of @rondarousey I got a beautiful woman, wife, mother, daughter, sister and legend. I love you lady.
We’re making history, too. I hope @mostvaluablepromotions MMA @netflix will continue because it’s SICK. Respect where respect is due. @nakisabidarian @jakepaul It was a great experience.
Thank you ALL for showing your support. It is because of you that we face our fears and live our dreams.
With all my heart, thank you all.
