For fans, it made sense that Gina Carano would take the fight with Ronda Rousey without much hesitation, even after being away from competition for 17 years. Carano is a celebrity herself, and a bout with ‘Rowdy’ would draw more eyes and generate significant money. However, for the MMA legend, taking the fight became about more than just glory. Ahead of their Netflix clash on May 16, she revealed how Ronda Rousey helped pull her out of severe depression by offering the fight.

“I was really not healthy,” Carano revealed in a recent MVP Uncut video. “I was really sick. And I think in life you have a point where you can go left and completely give up on yourself, and you can let all the stress in life and all the pain just wear you down, and you give up and get depressed and let go. There goes your body, there goes your mind, there goes your health. I was there.

“And it’s really hard to turn the corner and go the complete opposite way. I think my family, the people that care about me, and the fans that care about me are just happy that I got this back under control. I’m healthy. I mean, maybe I didn’t have to take it to this extreme, but I am an extreme person. And I know that I wouldn’t have gone as deep into this health journey without this fight.”  

For those unversed, Gina Carano went through severe depression after Disney fired her from the series The Mandalorian in 2021, which led her to a legal settlement with the company. That marked a serious setback for the 44-year-old, and she faced several other career blows that, as she explained, pushed her into some dark times.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Carano revealed that her health deteriorated so much that she became pre-diabetic, and even walking long distances caused pain in her feet.

However, when Ronda Rousey approached her, calling the bout her “dream fight” with utmost respect, the former Strikeforce star said yes, believing the fight could restore both her career and her health to peak form. So, it was the former UFC bantamweight champion who provided her with that much-needed inspiration. To show her commitment, Carano has been undergoing a weight cut and even shared glimpses of herself going through a cold plunge in the MVP Uncut video.

Now, as ‘Conviction’ is set to compete after 17 years away from MMA, one of Gina Carano’s marquee teammates has also shared some positive words about her ongoing preparation for the Ronda Rousey fight.

Merab Dvalishvili lauds Gina Carano for training hard ahead of Ronda Rousey fight

To fight the former UFC bantamweight champion, Gina Carano is currently training at Syndicate MMA under coach John Wood. Merab Dvalishvili also trains at the same gym and recently shared the mat with the former UFC and Strikeforce star.

After their session, the former UFC 135 lbs kingpin appeared impressed and now believes Carano can beat Rousey, even after years away from the sport. ‘The Machine’ also acknowledged that if ‘Conviction’ defeats ‘Rowdy’ in their May 16 clash, it could reflect poorly on current UFC fighters.

“It was a great honor for me to train with her, and I was surprised, in a good way, at how good she is,” Dvalishvili said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “Ronda Rousey has a judo background. I also have a judo background, and I was super into judo. I think Gina Carano will win this fight because of how good she is.

“When she was fighting, I was very young and not even in MMA. I had never seen her fight before. But after training with her, I was so impressed that I went back and watched everything, all her fights. She’s the real deal, and I think she can beat Ronda Rousey. It’s going to make UFC fighters look bad, and she’s going to make judo also look bad.”

Well, Carano held an undefeated record before facing Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce in 2009, which remains the last fight of her career. With this level of dedication, it seems very likely that Gina Carano can turn back the clock and summon her old form for a spectacular return on May 16.