Pros and cons of Gina Carano getting a title shot against Ronda Rousey

UFC fans have been divided on the issue of whether Gina Carano should return to MMA or not.

The debate was sparked by the rumors that Gina Carano could get an immediate title shot against Ronda Rousey. Certainly, Zuffa had this fight in mind when they started negotiating a UFC contract for Carano. We give you the pros and cons of this match-up.

Con: Gina Carano has been out of the octagon for 5 years. However, Ronda is out with injury, so the hypothetical fight would be arranged for the end of the year, which gives Gina enough time to prepare.

Con: Gina is not ranked and it's not fair for the other fighters if she is pushed forward. I remind you here that Rousey dismantled all the other competitors (except for Zingano) and the pool of contenders is very shallow right now. Zingano has been out with injury for a year, so even she might benefit from this, as she is scheduled to fight Nunes at UFC 178. Ronda's last fight of vs. Davis gave a bad name to the competition in the bantamweight, so something has to be done, until maybe Cyborg joins the UFC.

Con: Gina is a featherweight out of training process. Can she make weight? Well, we don't know that, if there is enough time, maybe yes.

Con: Gina Carano was not as good as Rousey even in her better days. Actually, her record was impressive back then, but not today. If she joins the UFC today, she would be ranked top 10, but not top 5.

Pro: Star power. Carano is a Hollywood celebrity and Rousey is also moving in that direction. This is not an UFC event, but mainstream. And the moment is right, so Zuffa won't miss the opportunity. This is, however, what every hardcore fan hates about this sport - money and show-business.

Pro: Gina could lose a title eliminator fight. Yes, there are few fighters, such as Zingano, and maybe Miesha Tate or Bethe Correia, who are tough enough to beat Gina. This would actually kill the buzz for any future Rousey-Carano fight. Zuffa wouldn't like that, they wouldn't risk it. In all fairness, in order to be a legitimate contender in the eyes of the fans, Gina should fight fight at least once in the UFC (I suggest vs. Jessica Eye).

Pro: Sex appeal. Well, no doubt, this would be one of the sexiest UFC fights ever, even though Ronda vs Miesha is pretty close too. Hardcore fans would argue here that this will make the women's division look like a joke. But, don't forget popularity is a key element in every sport, MMA included.

Con: If Rousey beats Carano in round one, and she plans to, that will be damaging for the division. Here, the UFC is gambling the reputation of the bantamweight division for other types of gain. If this happens, they would just move to promoting Rousey vs. Zingano and not apologize about anything. After all, the money from the PPV would already be in their pockets, so it would be just a minor "ups", like the 16 seconds of Alexis Davis. Then, they would just say Ronda Rousey is that good, and end of story.

Con: Cyborg is a better match for Rousey. Well, this is not even an issue, since Cyborg is not in the UFC. What about Holly Holm? She says she's OK with it. Holly's smart, she knows the business and she will wait for her turn.

Pro or con (?): If Gina Carano wants an immediate title fight or no-deal, UFC will give it to her. As simple as that.

Photo credit Michael Dunn

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