Coach expects Gina Carano to fight again: 'I would lean more to yes than no'

Gina Carano's return to mixed martial arts ended almost as quickly as it began when she fell to Ronda Rousey in a submission loss lasting just 17 seconds at Most Valuable Promotions' inaugural MMA card. The fight took place Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, marking Carano's cage return after nearly 17 years away from professional competition. Despite the brief and disappointing outing, her coaching team believes her fighting career may not be finished.

Carano last competed on August 15, 2009, making her return a highly anticipated event despite the uncertain rust factor. In the main event matchup against Rousey, Carano was unable to establish her game, succumbing to an armbar submission in the opening moments. Following the bout, Carano expressed frustration about the quick finish, stating she would have preferred the opportunity to display more of her skillset and demonstrate her current abilities after such an extended layoff.

John Wood, the head of Carano's training camp, shares an optimistic outlook about her future in the sport. "Truthfully for me, she found the love of fighting again," Wood said in recent comments. "As a coach, I see somebody in the room who can still fight. And there's a lot of people that she can still beat, I guarantee that." Wood's assessment suggests that despite the setback, he believes Carano possesses the capability to compete successfully against appropriate opponents.

While one fight hardly provides a conclusive evaluation after such a long absence, Wood's confidence indicates that a second bout may be in the works. The comeback narrative and Carano's established name recognition could provide promotional value for future matchups. Whether she pursues additional competition remains to be seen, but her coaching team's belief in her remaining abilities suggests the door has not closed on her fighting career.