Gina Carano is opening up like never before about what her long-awaited return to the cage truly means. “It has changed my life, but also saved my life,” she tells reporters ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster featherweight showdown against Ronda Rousey at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
This isn’t just any fight. It’s a historic moment for women’s MMA—the first event of its kind to stream live on Netflix, with Rousey promising it will shatter the previous purse record for female athletes. But for Carano, the stakes go far deeper than money or glory.
Nearly 17 years after her last bout, Carano is stepping back into the spotlight after enduring what she calls some of the hardest years of her life. Following her early MMA career, she transitioned to Hollywood, landing a breakout role as Cara Dune in The Mandalorian. But in 2021, she was dropped from the Star Wars franchise after making controversial comments comparing being a Republican in the U.S. to being a Jew during the Holocaust. Lucasfilm condemned the remarks, and Carano later sued for wrongful termination and sexual discrimination, settling the case in 2025.
“I remember being under so much physical stress that my anxiety hurt so bad—my skin hurt,” Carano recalls. “I was having panic attacks, and it felt like the whole world was caving in. I worked two decades to build my career, and it was taken from me overnight.”
Seeing her in a dark place, Rousey first pitched the idea of a fight to the UFC in 2024, believing it could lift them both. When talks stalled, Rousey reached out directly to Carano, and the bout was eventually picked up by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).
Since September 2024, Carano has shed 100 pounds (7 stone 2 pounds) in training, weighing in Friday at 141.4 pounds. “This fight has given me purpose again,” she says. “It’s pulled me out of a hole I didn’t think I could climb out of.”
Now, with the entire combat sports world watching, Carano isn’t just fighting for a win—she’s fighting to reclaim herself. And for fans of grit, redemption, and the raw power of sport, this is a story you won’t want to miss.