More and more during the modern era, women are stepping onto stages once dominated by men. The world of sports is no exception. A few extraordinary women have made recent footprints through sporting world. Those footprints have not only brought these female athletes to the forefront, but they have also paved the way for the female athletes of tomorrow. Mixed martial arts is just the latest sport to experience the revolution of the female athlete.
That revolutionary experience was hoisted up on center stage during EliteXC’s recent fight card seen on national television. Gina Carano put on an explosive performance when she defeated Kaitlin Young in a May 31st bout that the referee called after the second round. It was arguably the most exciting bout of the night. Where the male fighters failed to deliver, the women picked up the slack.
However, EliteXC will not be able to follow up with another exciting women’s match-up on its next fight card which will take place on June 14th. Carina Damm was scheduled to fight Debi Purcell, but was suspended for a year after testing positive for steroids. EliteXC never replaced Damm, opting to go with an all male fight card.
Now that Purcell is left without a fight, the possibilities of a future opponent are rather entertaining. An upcoming Purcell-Carano bout could prove to be a huge draw. It may not be a main event, but would definitely garner a significant amount of interest. Only five pounds separate the two fighters, but a common ground could surely be reached. While Carano may have the advantage of youth, Purcell is relentless. The two could prove to set a torrid pace that could dazzle spectators. Plenty of male fighters have come out and set similar paces in knock-down, drag-out dogfights. Yet, there is something special about watching a woman perfect a rear naked choke, no pun intended.
That doesn’t imply that women’s mixed martial arts is simply a novelty. It has just yet to be promoted anywhere near a high level. It is quite possible that Carano could be the one who brings women’s MMA into the limelight. Danica Patrick has sent the racing world into a frenzy with her recent success. When Patrick first came onto the scene, many focused on her vanity as opposed to her ability to handle a race car. But the focus shifted with the more success that came her way. The attractive Carano could very well find herself speeding down the same path as Patrick. Not only is she easy on the eyes, she is quite capable of handling herself in the cage.
Carano could wind up being one of the main draws in the EliteXC as female mixed martial arts has yet to make its way into the UFC or the WEC. Both are the top two avenues for mixed martial arts and yet only testosterone emanates from both the cage and the octagon. The WEC does have their own girls, however their lone job is to hold up cards with the number of the round written on it. Both organizations still manage to produce quality fights and each fight card has its share of diversity. Different styles of fighting and various weight classes offer a tremendous amount of variety. Adding women to the fight card would only enhance that diversity.
The next televised women’s MMA fight will take place on June 20th when UK Thai Boxing Champion Julie Kitchen takes on WIKBA World Muay Thai champion and number one female Muay Thai fighter, Germaine de Randamie of Holland. The event has been dubbed The International Muay Thai Champion of Champions Fight Night and it will take place in Montego Bay, Jamaica. All the action will be able to be seen live on-line via pay per view. That is hardly a stage as widely recognized than the UFC or even the WEC for that matter. And each woman is far from being a household name.
The Elite XC has made its share of mistakes in its attempt to bring mixed martial arts to the masses. Nevertheless, it cannot be criticized for its revolutionary use of women in the sport. Women are proving all over the sports world that they can compete with men. Even before Patrick made headlines for her performance on the race track, Annika Sorenstam teed up against the men on the PGA tour. Women are constantly revolutionizing sports and now it may be up to another female to bring that revolution to the world of MMA.
As of now, it looks as though Carano may be the most viable candidate to take over that role. But before women can establish themselves in the world of MMA, there must first be some consistency. That leaves fight promoters with the task of providing quality opponents. In the ever blossoming world of mixed martial arts, new fight venues and events are popping up by the day. The talent is out there, it just needs to be brought to the forefront.
So while a Carano-Purcell match up may just be speculation, it is an example of what could be. In the future, there could be a lot more candidates to throw into the mix. And while women may not be ready to headline an major MMA event, they are definitely ready to make it worthwhile. Just ask the EliteXC and their internet street fighter who recently made a mockery of the sport.
EliteXC, Recent News Debi Purcell, EliteXC, EliteXC women, Gina Carano, Kaitlin Young, women’s MMA
Yesterday, EliteXC announced its full fight card for the July 26th event which will air on network television. The most noteworthy and perhaps intriguing addition comes in the form of a women’s bout. Shayna Baszler and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will meet each other in a battle of 140 pounders. The addition is a smart one for the EliteXC as it carves out another fight in the unique niche it is bringing to the world of mma.
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