5 Things You Didn’t Know About Gina Carano’s MMA Career

4. Her Ex-Boyfriend, A Former MMA Fighter, Introduced Her To Martial Arts

Though Carano had an excellent combat sports' career, believe it or not, the former Strikeforce star didn't begin practicing martial arts until she was an adult.

Years before her high-profile romance with actor Henry Cavill, Carano dated a fighter by the name of Kevin 'The Soul Assassin' Ross. Ross is a professional Muay Thai kickboxer and former mixed martial artist. It was 'Conviction's (now ex) boyfriend who first introduced her to Muay Thai.

She originally began practicing martial arts to lose weight. However, her aptitude and passion for fighting soon shone through, and before long, she became one of Ross's sparring partners. These competitive sparring sessions helped Carano hone the skills she would ultimately use to become one of the most successful female fighters of her era.

Ross would have a successful career in his own right and went on to become the Bellator Kickboxing Featherweight champ, back in 2017.

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From 1999-2003 Jacques performed on the Florida independent pro wrestling circuit. He also has an amateur wrestling background and currently holds a certification in Krav Maga. Jacques graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Follow him on twitter @goodeals79.