Dana White on Gina Carano: The UFC would give her a fight

LONDON – Rumors that Gina Carano (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) could come out of retirement to fight UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey (8-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) have given UFC President Dana White a headache, but he certainly isn’t opposed to the idea of the Strikeforce star fighting inside the octagon.

When and if it happens is another matter.

“Guys, I have no idea,” he told MMAjunkie on Friday following UFC Fight Night 37's weigh-ins. “I have literally avoided every conversation about this since Joe Rogan went on the radio show and speculation was Gina Carano.”

White said he’s been deluged by reporters since Rogan indicated this week that big news is on the horizon for Rousey, who is currently on vacation in Costa Rica. He sarcastically thanked the UFC commentator for the pleasure.

“[Rogan] blew my whole week with that interview,” White snickered, adding “there’s nothing done as far as her next opponent.”

As to how Rogan could have led fans and pundits to speculate on Carano, a former Strikeforce star who retired to pursue a career in movies, White indicated there was some truth to the statement that a newsworthy event is imminent. But he shot down the idea that Carano’s return is around the corner.

“Joe doesn’t just go out and start making s–t up, but he never said Gina Carano was coming to the UFC,” White said. “He never said that.”

Of course, there are few subjects that fit Rogan’s description. While White seems to have warmed to the idea of Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino fighting in the UFC, he said it could happen only after she proves she can drop from featherweight to bantamweight. From a competitive standpoint, a Rousey vs. Justino fight would be a huge fight to make.

Then there is the popular boxer turned MMA fighter Holly Holm, whose good looks and impressive striking skills have made her a huge draw in her native Albuquerque, N.M.

But at the box office, a Carano return opposite Rousey could be a smash hit. Carano was the most popular female fighter to date when she walked away from the sport, and her loss to Justino in 2009 under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner did little to diminish her stock. Subsequent movie roles, including a starring role in the Steven Soderbergh-helmed “Haywire,” have increased her visibility, and she remains a fixture on MMA websites despite the fact that she hasn’t fought in five years.

But putting on Rousey vs. Carano next would also be an affront to other contenders and to Justino, who has said she could endanger her health by cutting to 135 pounds. Carano fought just once at 135 pounds and served the bulk of her career at 145 pounds, which she frequently struggled to make.

White said the injured No. 1 contender Cat Zingano is still first on his mind as Rousey’s next challenge, but the problem is that he has been unable to reach the fighter. Earlier this year, Zingano lost her husband to suicide while recovering from a torn ACL she suffered in mid-2013 while preparing for a coaching job on “The Ultimate Fighter 18? and a title shot.

“Cat Zingano has gone kind of radio silent on me,” he said. “She’s been through a lot of stuff, so I don’t know where she’s at or what she’s thinking. So no big announcements yet.”

When rumors started flying about Carano, White claimed he wasn’t even aware of the fighter’s contractual status when asked about the fight and had to go to the UFC’s legal department to clarify her position. He said she has four fights remaining on her Strikeforce contract, which was assigned to the UFC when it purchased the now-defunct promotion. Carano would, however, be required to fight in the octagon if she decided to come out of retirement.

“When you go on a hiatus, whether you’re injured or semi-retired, you’re still under contract,” he said. “If you come back, you’re still under contract with us. So she is under contract with us, but I have no plans right now.”

With that said, the door is certainly open for the former “face of women’s MMA.”

“If she wanted to fight in the UFC, of course,” White said. “If Gina Carano wanted to fight in the UFC, we would definitely do it.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Gina Carano)