Gina Carano technically never retired, but there’s no telling if she’s actually plotting a comeback after posting new training footage that showed her throwing hands with Merab Dvalishvili’s head coach.
Recognized as a pioneer in women’s MMA, Carano was arguably one of combat sports’ biggest stars at the peak of her career where she was primarily competing in Strikeforce. Following a loss to Cris Cyborg in 2009, Carano effectively put MMA behind her as she turned her attention towards an acting career.
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t still love throwing hands occasionally after posting some training footage working at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas with head coach John Wood, who also leads Dvalishvili into battle on Saturday in the UFC 323 main event.
“Grateful to be here for my health, the people around me, the people who inspire me and the desire to do better,” Carano wrote in a caption with the video.
With roles in films directed by icons like Steven Soderbergh, as well as blockbuster films such as Deadpool, Carano’s focus on acting has kept her plenty busy since she last fought.
She famously appeared in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian until she was effectively written off the show after she made several controversial posts on social media including one that seemingly compared living as a conservative in the United States to the atrocities suffered by Jews during the holocaust in Nazi Germany.
Disney — owners of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars library — called the post “abhorrent and unacceptable” while also stating that Carano was “not currently employed” by the company with no plans to work with her again.
That led to Carano filing a lawsuit against Disney for discrimination and wrongful termination. She eventually settled with Disney before the case reached trial, although terms of the settlement were never disclosed.
While the 43-year-old veteran still seems content with the career she put together in combat sports, Carano did tease a return to action as recently as 2014 when she engaged in talks with the UFC about a potential fight against Ronda Rousey.
The bout never materialized and Carano eventually turned her full attention back to her acting career.