5. Gina Carano’s Loss to Cris Cyborg in Strikeforce
This August it will be 9 years since this fight took place. At the time, many felt it killed women’s mixed martial arts. Years later, Ronda Rousey would finally bring women’s MMA out from the shadows it fell into after this fight.
Carano was gaining popularity fighting for EliteXC so Strikeforce decided to pit her against Cyborg for the Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Championship. Cyborg mauled Carano to an uncomfortable level and caused the ref to step in with just 1 second remaining in the first round. Carano hasn’t fought again since.
