Penick's Take
PENICK: Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg bring women's MMA to the next level on Showtime
Aug 15, 2009 - 12:10:57 PM PENICK: Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg bring women's MMA to the next level on Showtime

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Tonight on Showtime Gina Carano and Cris "Cyborg" Santos will face off in a historic main event for Strikeforce. For the first time two women mixed martial artists will headline a major MMA card in the U.S.

The fight has been in the works since 2008 when both women were showcased on CBS with EliteXC's Saturday Night Fights. Carano has been the crossover star and thus far most recognizable fighter in the young history of women's MMA. Cyborg is the brutish, menacing looking fighter who has steamrolled through all her opponents on the main stage. With both getting through their opposition on CBS they established themselves to the public as the top women in the sport, and everyone was ready to see them fight.

Unfortunately for the fans wanting to see that matchup, EliteXC folded up after their infamous October 4th event "Heat," and the two women were left in contract limbo for awhile. Cyborg signed with Strikeforce first when the organization picked up a number of the Pro Elite assets, and Carano herself signed earlier this summer to set this fight up once and for all.

So now after both quelled any other fears by making weight yesterday, it's time for the fight itself to go down. What happens in this fight itself tonight, as well as how much success the show has with the two on top of the card, will determine the direction and the future for women in this sport.

Should Carano defeat what would be her most dangerous test to date, the sport's poster child legitimizes herself even further as not only a pretty face, but a damned good fighter to boot. Combined with solid ratings for the night's event, considering they're going up against the counter-programming efforts of the UFC, and Carano becomes an even bigger star capable of selling future cards for Strikeforce and, in general, women as legitimate fighters.

If Cyborg picks up the victory, she too can legitimize women in the sport with good ratings for the event on Showtime. While she wouldn't be the cover girl that Carano is, she can become a force as a women's Champ that was in a big headlining fight and could do the same in the future with more challengers built up in smaller fights. If this is a close fight that she wins, a rematch with Carano would again likely do similar if not better business for Strikeforce than tonight's event will.

So it comes down to whether Strikeforce has done an effective enough job promoting this fight to make it the success it very well should be with these two at the top of the card. Carano herself brings major public interest, and this fight was handed to them on a silver platter with EliteXC's build up on CBS. But did they sell this enough to bring new viewers to Showtime? Will they draw as much as the men have for Strikeforce? These are questions that will be answered after tonight.

Women can be viable competitors in the sport of MMA, and these two particular women can bring a new boom to that effort tonight with a strong fight and a good performance for the event. The best case scenario for Strikeforce for their marketable star tonight is a good fight that ends with "Conviction" as the first Strikeforce Women's Champion. That's what I see happening tonight, and it will be Gina Carano taking the title with a fourth round TKO.

As for the rest of the card, the two other title fights on the card look to be highly entertaining bouts. Gegard Mousasi brings a striking advantage to his bout with Renato "Babalu" Sobral, but "Babalu" is going to have the advantage on the ground. Look for him to get the fight to the ground and pick up a submission by the third round.

In the Interim Lightweight Title bout, Gilbert Melendez will be looking to avenge a loss to Mitsuhiro Ishida from 2007, and in a close fight I'd look for him to do so, picking up a decision victory to once again look toward a bout with Josh Thomson.

Fabricio Werdum will look to burst back onto the scene with a good performance against Mike Kyle, and the very much in shape Werdum will finish that fight by submission in the second. Finally, Jay Hieron will look to use his experience advantage to out fight last minute replacement Jesse Taylor to a decision win.

It all comes tonight live on Showtime, and check here for live round by round updates of the event as it airs.