Ex-MMA star in Manila for Fast and Furious 6

MANILA, Philippines – Former women’s MMA-star-turned-actress, Gina Carano, was on hand for the Manila premiere of “Fast and Furious 6” alongside lead actor Vin Diesel.

Photos and videos of Vin Diesel in Manila riding a jeepney and interacting with fans have gone viral on social media networks. The macho male action star was greeted to a throng of rabid “Dom Toretto” fans, the movie’s main character, at the Mall of Asia during premiere night.

The “Fast and the Furious” serious has produced 6 iterations, with each one pushing the limit on automobile stunts. The perennial hit movie continues to add a slew of fresh new faces each time around, adding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in their last film, and this time, Gina Carano, former StrikeForce Women’s MMA standout.

Crush, the American Gladiator

Carano started her career in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, gaining valuable fight experience while amassing a record of 12-1-1. She was also known as Crush, a female member of the show American Gladiators. 

Carano then joined StrikeForce in late 2006, defeating Elaina Maxwell in StrikeForce’s first ever female fight, proving that she wasn’t just gorgeous, but also had the talent to be competitive in MMA.

The hype was heavy on Carano, who is just as beautiful as she is fierce. Featuring a diverse stand-up game, Carano was known for her superior striking abilities and would brutalize opponents in the cage with her thunderous punches and kicks.

‘Hottest Woman in America’

Apart from fighting, she is also known for her curvaceous upper extremities and skull-crushing thighs. Carano was voted “Hottest Woman in America” by Big Biz Magazine in the Spring 2008 issue and ranked #16 in Maxim’s Hot 100 list. 

In 2009, Gina Carano faced Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos for the right to be called the first ever StrikeForce Women’s middelweight champion. However, in just the very first round, Carano was brutally stopped at 4:59 by Technical Knockout. Her opponent, Santos, was later suspended after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs post-fight.

It was then that Carano turned her efforts from MMA towards a film career, landing the lead role in the spy thriller, Haywire. She was described as an “intriguing mix of muscular power and eye-catching femininity.”

Role in Fast 6

In the Fast and Furious 6, Carano landed a role portraying a member of Special Agent Luke Hobbs’ (Dwayne Johnson) team.

Along with Vin Diesel, Carano graced the red carpet premiere with co-stars Michelle Rodriguez, who plays the previously thought to be deceased character Letty, and Luke Evans who plays the movie’s primary antagonist, Owen Shaw.

The 3-day promotional event and the Manila leg of the world tour was handled by Solar Entertainment Corp. Other stops include major cities such as London, Beijing, Seoul and Cabo San Lucas.

Vin Diesel arrived in Manila early Tuesday morning on a private jet while Carano, along with Rodriguez and Evans, arrived shortly after on another flight.

Hardcore fans of Mixed Martial Arts, a sport which is quickly gaining in popularity in the country, will be quick to recognize Carano who was known earlier in her career as the “Face of Women’s MMA.”

Though no longer actively competing in Mixed Martial Arts, Carano continues to maintain a unique and unmistakable edge in the way she appears on screen. Her world class Muay Thai skills and high level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are prominent showcases in nearly all of her fight scenes. – Rappler.com