First she tells Craig Ferguson that fighting is like having sex, then she's all over the Internet in sexually curious photos with another fighter, and then her company goes down for the count like one of her cold-cocked opponents. What does Gina Carano have to say about it all? Read on.
DAVE HOLLANDER: So, what's next for you now that EliteXC has folded?
GINA CARANO: Are they officially over? I haven't gotten any word on that.
DH: I was hoping you would know.
GC: I'm afraid I won't be much use to you. I think that they were planning on filing for bankruptcy, then I heard they weren't. Then I hear they were going to option us and now they're not, then they're still going to file for bankruptcy. I'm a little confused on what's happening but I'm hoping it kind of gets figured out sooner than later so I can focus on working.
DH: What would you do if they went kaput?
GC: There's always a place to fight. As long as there's a place for me to go and fight, which I'm sure there is, then that?s what's going to happen. Look, I'm bummed out about it. It was a really good stage for females and a great stage for me. They promoted and put me out there and CBS was an awesome opportunity. We'll see what happens. One door closes and another one opens, somewhere.
DH: American Gladiators -- they didn't file for bankruptcy, did they?
GC: No, but I'm not sure what they're doing either. I've gotten no answers and that kind of sucks. I don't know. I don't what American Gladiators is doing. I don't know what Elite XC is doing. Look, my main focus is fighting. So whatever happens with American Gladiators, you know, it was a lot of fun but whatever happens, happens. I'd just like this EliteXC thing to get figured out.
DH: Well maybe all this will leave you time for other activities -- like partying and rolling around with fellow female MMA fighter (and one-time opponent) Tonya Evinger, as pictured on her MySpace page.
GC: It was after, like, a fight. Tonya Evinger, we became friends afterward. And those girls are crazy. I love hanging out with them. But I think people look into that stuff a little too much. They're like TMZ photos. It's funny.
DH: Are some people looking into it too much when they analyze the fact that you used a "rear-naked" choke to defeat Tanya, your first career submission? Did you want that? Did you want her to submit to you, instead of knocking her out?
GC: I just wanted to win the fight, however I won it. I didn't realize what an exhilarating feeling it is to submit someone until after it happened. Before that fight I was just looking forward to winning the fight. And after I got my first submission, there was nothing like it. In my last fight, I felt like I could have submitted her standing. I'm really bummed that I didn't finish it that way. We just kind of tipped over and went to the floor and if I would've just stayed there she would've tapped because I had her real tight. There's nothing like knocking someone out and there's nothing like submitting someone. Those are amazing feelings.
DH: On Craig Ferguson, you described MMA as "Two people going at it, kind of like sex." Did people read into that too much as well?
GC: (laughing) I'm a funny girl. I like to have fun with people and I get nervous and things fly out of my mouth, and while I was explaining "two people going at it," it was just kind of a funny little joke that came out on national television. That's just my personality. I guess people are going to get used to that eventually. I'm not always going to say or do the right things but I've got a good heart.
DH: Funny enough, after you said it, people started to think about it. Like if aliens came down from another planet and watched a video of two people having sex and a video two people locked in an MMA struggle -- grinding and (etc.) -- they might think the videos are of the same activity.
GC: The thing is, is that it's a very honest statement. Because, look, fighting is between two people and it's so raw and natural. People are extremely drawn to that and as I was explaining it to Craig I got to thinking, "Gosh, it is kind of like sex because people love to watch porn, right?"
DH: Right.
GC: And they also love to watch fights. It's something the two have in common in that it's compelling natural instincts that are at work.
DH: There are a lot of professional tennis couples. Same with NBA players and WNBA players. With all that, as you say "raw" energy in the air, are there a lot of hook-ups between male and female MMA fighters?
GC: Hook-ups? Like people hooking up with each other? (laughs) I think probably. My last two boyfriends have both been fighters. When you're in the same realm I think it's refreshing for a guy to meet a girl who fights and can kind of understand what goes into it -- the mentality of fighting. I know how it feels to run into a guy who doesn't know that feeling. And it's not like you have to know what fighting is like, but it's such an extreme lifestyle. It takes such extreme mental pain. When you meet somebody else on that same level it's really refreshing.
DH: I can see how it's a world that maybe only other fighters can understand. Like when you watch that reality show with all the fighters living together, there's a bit of prison vibe happening. Do you think there are a lot of same-sex couples in MMA, like dudes hooking up with other dudes?
GC: (laughs) I couldn't tell you. I haven't seen that around me. (laughing hysterically) I kind of stay to myself. I don't really have a whole lot of friends. I have a handful. I travel a lot and I visit other worlds -- not just the fight world. So, I might not be the best person to ask. I'm not up on the drama of the fight world, really.
DH: There's drama galore. On the Web site 'Cage Potato,' a writer described Tonya Evinger as "a cute, perpetually drunk version of Aileen Wuornos." And, I think they meant it as a compliment.
GC: Ewwwww! You know Tonya Evinger, she is extreme. And I think that's why we all love her for it. People are human beings. Like, they blew it all up. Me and Tonya and six other fighters were all hanging out that night. We had the most amazing time. We wrestled and we just had a like a great time hanging out with just chicks that were all similar. And it doesn't mean that I like women all of sudden, because I don't.
I'm heterosexual. I like men. But, you know, somebody was snapping a camera while all this was happening and all of a sudden people want to create these stories of what did happen. And nothing really happened. And Tonya Evinger, she's an amazing girl. She's one of the funniest human beings I've met in my whole life. I hope people don't say too harsh things about her because she's got a family and people are on there every night looking up what things were said about Tonya also.
DH: Well maybe you guys should have conversation with Lindsay Lohan. She seems to be getting similar scrutiny.
GC: I don't care. I'm just going to stick to what I'm good at which is fighting, being goofy and saying inappropriate things.
Wasn't sure where to post this anymore, but here's a pretty nice interview with Gina. Me likey.
New Interview with Gina
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