In fact, Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg, which will be for the newly created 145-lb women’s championship, is the first fight card from a major MMA promotion to feature a women’s match as the main event. Not only that, but just as in men’s MMA title fights, this championship bout will be scheduled for five 5-minute rounds, instead of the previous 3-minute rounds for women’s MMA bouts. Both women are making a statement that women’s MMA is for real, and that female fighters are just as tough as their male counterparts.

Regardless of who wins, Carano and Santos will be making MMA history. I’m an unabashed Carano fan, so I’m definitely rooting for Gina. I already liked her the first time I saw her as Crush on “American Gladiators,” but I became an even bigger fan when I found out shortly after that she’s a Muay Thai expert and MMA fighter. Carano remains unbeaten in MMA with a record of 7-0 (3 knockouts), while Santos, whose primary styles are Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has a 7-1 record (her only loss was to fellow Brazilian Erica Paes, who made her submit to a leglock in the first round in a May 17, 2005 fight in Brazil), with 5 KOs.

Here’s a photo of Gina Carano from the Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg press conference.

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And here’s Cris Cyborg.

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Here’s a video from Showtime Sports which shows some of the pre-fight training Carano is undergoing at the Xtreme Couture Gym in Las Vegas. Yup, Carano’s trainer is the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer and five-time UFC champion (two in the light heavyweight division and three as a heavyweight) Randy “The Natural” Couture. The host is another great MMA champion, Frank Shamrock.

Here’s the Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg teaser video.

And here are more videos on this historic clash from the official Showtime Sports YouTube channel.

This is a highly anticipated championship bout between two great fighters, and I just can’t wait to see this historic encounter. Cris Cyborg is awesome, but I firmly believe Gina Carano will stop her and become the first Strikeforce women’s champion.

That’s my conviction.