Sherdog’s Top 10: Hollywood Crossovers

Patrick WymanMar 26, 2015

Gina Carano left MMA in 2009 and has yet to return. | Photo: Terry Goodlad/Sherdog.com

1. Gina Carano

Former Strikeforce and EliteXC star Carano stands alone as MMA’s greatest crossover into the world of Hollywood. A former muay Thai competitor who compiled a 12-1-1 record in the striking art, Carano turned to MMA in 2006 and quickly ran up a 7-0 mark with wins over the likes of Rosi Sexton, Julie Kedzie, Tonya Evinger, Kaitlin Young and Kelly Kobold. A brutal thrashing at the hands of Cristiane Justino put an end to Carano’s undefeated record and her MMA career, and she immediately transitioned full-time to acting.

Her first role came in the Michael Jai White film “Blood and Bone,” in which acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh spotted her talent. Soderbergh immediately built an entire action movie, “Haywire,” around her, showcasing both Carano’s flashes of potential and her limitations. She was much improved in 2013’s “Fast and Furious 6,” alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and the longstanding duo of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker.

Carano’s future looks even brighter. She will appear in this year’s “Kickboxer” reboot and landed a major role in the upcoming Marvel “Deadpool” film, which stars Ryan Reynolds. In short, Carano seems to have a real shot at becoming a legitimate movie star.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS: Don Frye, Gene LeBell, Tito Ortiz, Jason Miller

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