Gina Carano’s coach, John Wood, has shared his student’s profound emotions following her decisive defeat against Ronda Rousey.
In her first mixed martial arts match in 17 years, Gina Carano faced Ronda Rousey last weekend. Unfortunately for Carano, the outcome was not in her favor, as she was submitted within seconds by the former UFC champion.
While this result was anticipated by many, Gina Carano, a fighter known for her pride, was understandably disappointed. Despite the loss, she has not ruled out the possibility of returning for another fight.
In a recent interview, Gina Carano’s coach, John Wood, discussed the aftermath of the fight.
Gina Carano’s Coach Discusses Her Reaction to Defeat
“She was prepared. The training camp was taken seriously. She dedicated six months to the preparation. Anyone suggesting it was fixed, know that she is utterly devastated. No one wanted to compete more than her. She was ready.”
“She was upset that she felt she let us down or that we didn’t get to have the fight [we envisioned],” Wood stated. “It’s never truly about us, but for her, there are fighters who fight, and then there are fighters who are truly fighters, and Gina is one of the latter. She wants to engage. She’s ready to scrap. In the gym, much of the training was focused on preventing her from engaging in overly wild exchanges.”
“She even told me, and we spoke afterward, that this was the best she has ever felt throughout her entire career. She felt calm, focused, and knew she had completed a proper training camp. She just didn’t get to implement any of the strategies we worked on. I believe she genuinely wanted to showcase all the improvements she had made.
“Had we been able to keep the fight standing and exchange blows, there would have been nothing but destructive intent behind her punches. Much like Ronda. Rousey’s intention was to take her down and break her arm, and she nearly succeeded! Regardless of how friendly they may appear outside the cage, these women entered with the intent to inflict harm on each other… she is certainly heartbroken and devastated that she couldn’t demonstrate all the hard work she invested.”
