Carano was fired from the "Star Wars" streaming series after sparking backlash with politically charged social media posts in 2021.

Valentina Shevchenko praises Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano with unusual iPhone comparison, calling pioneers vintage models.

Carano, 44, is returning to the cage for the first time since her August 2009 loss to Cyborg, when she takes on UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey in a highly anticipated showdown of women's MMA pioneers. The fight will headline Netflix's first live-streamed MMA event, which takes place May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

"I had so much anxiety in my body that my face hurt, my skin hurt me," Carano says. "I don’t know if anybody’s had that — it hurt so bad. My soul was just crushed. My heart was broken."

Gina Carano’s journey to MMA stardom didn’t begin with a dream of fighting. It started with a desire to get in shape. Her path from weight concerns to a Muay Thai gym would ultimately redefine her career.