5 Fights We Want For UFC's Ronda Rousey

5. Gina Carano

Everything Ronda Rousey is today, Gina Carano was four to five years ago - just not to the same level, as women's MMA was yet to debut in the UFC. With fewer eyeballs on her, Carano was still, however, a cross-over star who worked her way to a movie career after fighting in EliteXC and Strikeforce. She would fight Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino for the Strikeforce featherweight championship in 2009, losing what would be her final MMA fight, and the only loss of her career. Prior to that, she held wins over Julie Kedzie, Rosi Sexton, and Tonya Evinger. In 2008, she made #5 on Yahoo's Top Ten Influential Women list. In 2009, she was 16th in Maxim's Hot 100. After the Cyborg fight, she would cease fighting to focus on her acting career. Critically acclaimed for 2011's Haywire, she would also appear in Fast & Furious 6 - you know, the same franchise that Ronda Rousey will be joining in the next installment. So why does a fighter who hasn't set foot in the cage in over four years make the list? What makes this fight appealing? First, Carano is an MMA pioneer. She's also a relatively large bantamweight - most of her fights were actually at a higher weight class. If she can make the weight cut, and retain some power, plus get past the ring rust, she might have a shot. She seems to be serious about a comeback, as multiple reports have her back in training with the Black House camp. On top of that, Dana White has stated that he feels the UFC will get a deal done with her, and Ronda Rousey has said that out of respect, she'd be open to Carano getting an immediate title shot. With the pool of challengers drying up for Rousey, a match with the pioneer of women's MMA makes a lot of sense. It's a spectacle for fans, and should sell well for the UFC, with both fighters capable of making the rounds in the media to promote the bout. Does Carano have a legit shot at winning with four years or so of ring-rust? Well, that remains to be seen. Probably not, but we'll still watch.