When was Gina Carano's last fight? Revisiting 2009 first-round title fight loss to Cris Cyborg

TL;DR

Gina Carano's last fight took place in 2009, where she lost to Cris Cyborg in the first round. This historic match determined the first Strikeforce women's featherweight champion.

Key points

Gina Carano's last fight was in 2009.
She lost to Cris Cyborg in the first round.
The fight determined the first Strikeforce women's featherweight champion.
It was the first major MMA event headlined by women.
Carano has not officially retired from MMA.

Gina CaranoCris CyborgStrikeforce

When was Gina Carano's last fight? Revisiting 2009 first-round title fight loss to Cris Cyborg originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

While Gina Carano never officially retired, per her own words, it’s been a while since the Texan appeared in a cage. Her last fight was a historic matchup against another trailblazer who’s still active to this day.

Carano’s last fight was a loss against Cris Justino, aka “Cyborg,” in 2009 to determine the first Strikeforce women's featherweight champion. Though she lost, the fight is special for those two being the first women to headline a major MMA event.

It’s the second time Carano broke down barriers. In 2007, Carano beat Julie Kedzie in what was the first women’s MMA fight to be aired on live TV. After winning two more fights, two of the best in Strikeforce faced off for the ultimate bragging rights.

MORE:Top 10 women's fights in MMA history

The fight took place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, with over 13,976 in attendance. Cyborg took out Carano, who wouldn’t compete again until returning in 2026 to take on Ronda Rousey, another trailblazer.

"I get to revive and reveal the fighting side of me because a lot of people either forgot or weren't around the last time I fought," Carano told ESPN. "I've heard people say Ronda Rousey is fighting the girl from 'The Mandalorian.' No, I had a whole life that opened the doors to those movie opportunities, and it was me being a fighter, a genuine fighter who broke a lot of barriers.