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Forget the rest — This is the only fight people want if Gina Carano returns
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- Forget the rest — This is the only fight people want if Gina Carano returns
Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images for Netflix
Gina Carano isn't ready to close the book on her MMA career just yet.
Last Saturday, she stepped back into the spotlight for the first time in nearly two decades, headlining a historic event as MMA made its Netflix debut.
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The bout didn't go her way – Ronda Rousey submitted her in just 17 seconds at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
But even at 44, that quick loss hasn't dulled her competitive drive. And according to Chael Sonnen, there's really only one fight out there that makes sense for her next move.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix
Chael Sonnen believes Holly Holm is Gina Carano's 'only' comeback option
After submitting Carano, Rousey decided to walk away from the sport for good, calling time on her career following a successful return after nearly ten years away.
But Carano didn't sound done just yet in her post-fight interview. She seemed open to the idea of stepping back into the cage again, and her coach also hinted that she wasn't satisfied with how things ended.
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Sonnen addressed the possibility of Carano fighting again on his YouTube channel, pointing out what he sees as her only viable option if she chooses to return.
"Now what does she need? She needs to get back to the gym," Sonnen said. "The story has to be told this way. If she truly cares and this is a passion of hers, she'd be back in the gym.
"Then once you set the table in this way — she cares, she's back, she's in shape, she's embarrassed, she's coming back — then the fourth and final ingredient… then you tell us the proposed opponent."
Sonnen went on: "I don't know what the community is going to do about Gina versus Holly Holm. I just know that it's headed that way. It's really hard not to see it any other way.
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"So you've got to build it. You've got to set it out there. The community is going to jump on it one way or another – they're either going to like it or they're not – but that doesn't change anything."
Gina Carano vs. Holly Holm: The fight that might make sense for MVP MMA
There's a reason Sonnen believes Carano's next move could involve a fight against Holly Holm.
Holm is no longer under contract with the UFC and is already linked to Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, making the logistics much simpler than they would be otherwise.
Holm joined MVP after returning to boxing, having left the UFC in 2024. And it appears the promotion would be interested in booking that matchup.
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MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian mentioned Carano as one of two options when discussing potential future opponents for Holm.
"Whether it's Ronda or Gina, I would love to see them fight Holly Holm," Bidarian said following the May 16 event. "We'll just have to see what happens."
For now, though, Holm has other business to attend to. She's preparing for a rematch with WBA female lightweight champion Stephanie Han on May 30, after their first fight was cut short earlier this year due to an accidental head clash.
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