Gina Carano married her first love, Kevin Ross, in 2022, and their love story has been decades in the making. It was only in 2026 that the MMA veteran made her marriage public.
Gina Carano made headlines with her highly anticipated face-off against fellow retired MMA star, Ronda Rousey, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. In the first MMA card ever streamed on Netflix, Carano was defeated in just 17 seconds, but post-fight, Rousey announced that Gina has been her "hero" all these years. Carano, too, expressed disappointment that the fight ended so quickly, but given that she stepped back into the cage after 17 years, she considers it a personal victory.
Beyond the ring, however, fans cannot stop talking about Gina Carano, as she finally announced her marriage to her long-time partner and her "first love", Kevin Ross. Yes, just ahead of her fight with Ronda Rousey, Carano revealed at a press conference that she had secretly married Ross in a private courthouse ceremony in 2022.
So, who is Kevin Ross? Here's all you need to know about the veteran kickboxer, who has been Carano's inspiration for joining MMA. Their love story is one for the books.
Kevin Ross, 45, is a retired Muay Thai fighter and kickboxing champion known in combat sports as 'The Soul Assassin'. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1980, and spent much of his childhood moving around the country before eventually settling in Las Vegas. It is reported that he began his Muay Thai training in 2003 and eventually built a successful career internationally.
Over the years, Ross became one of the most respected names in American Muay Thai, winning several championships in the Featherweight division. In his 17-year career, he won some of the biggest titles, including the WBC International Super Lightweight Champion, WBC USA National Welterweight Champion, FIDAM Welterweight Champion of Mexico, and the US Muay Thai Federation Welterweight Champion. By the time he retired in 2021, he had won 45 out of 59 fights, having fought elite Thai champions like Saenchai and Sagetado Patpayathai.
Kevin Ross was the one who reportedly inspired Carano to enter combat sports herself. In past interviews, Carano openly credited Ross for changing the direction of her life. She once said in a July 2009 interview:
"Being a fighter changed his life completely. In one night, he just made the decision to stop everything that he was doing and start something that he had always wanted to do, and that inspired me to eventually sign up."
Camaro and Ross' love story goes back more than 20 years, but it hasn't been a smooth ride. According to his Instagram, the couple began dating on May 29, 2001, but due to their increasingly demanding careers, they eventually broke up in 2005. Ross later admitted that life as a professional fighter created enormous strain on their relationship.
Although it was Ross who had introduced Camaro to MMA in the first place, it also ironically became the reason for their split. As both of their careers took off, constant training schedules, travel, and time spent in the gym created distance between them. Looking back on the breakup, Ross admitted that fans rarely understand the sacrifices fighters make in their personal lives, explaining that the sport often puts immense strain on relationships, friendships, and even family connections.
Despite their breakup, the two remained close friends for years. However, they remained separated for about a decade. Before finding her way back to Kevin in 2015, Gina got into a widely publicised relationship with Superman star Henry Cavill. The couple reportedly began dating in 2012, and it didn't take them long to become one of Hollywood's high-profile couples. The two dated on and off for two years, and even adopted a dog together, before they parted ways in 2014.
Despite the breakup, Carano largely kept her personal life private afterward, which is why fans were shocked to learn in 2026 that she had secretly married Kevin Ross years earlier.
Despite their 10-year split, Gina Carano and Kevin Ross maintained a close friendship throughout, with the former telling The US Sun that Ross gave her life a purpose. However, after her breakup with Cavill, the MMA veteran and actress kept her relationship private all these years. Although fans only learned about their marriage in 2026, Carano and Ross actually tied the knot in August 2022 during a private courthouse ceremony.
According to Kevin Ross, the couple kept their wedding a secret intentionally, and it was kept a secret from their families as well. The veteran kickboxer told the New York Post how they "didn't even tell our family about it for a few months" and "just wanted to keep it to ourselves." The pair reportedly considered planning a larger wedding celebration in 2025, but eventually decided there was no rush.
Gina Carano officially broke the marriage news during a 2026 press conference for her highly anticipated fight against Ronda, where she proudly flashed her wedding ring and referred to Kevin Ross as her "first and last love." Smiling widely, she referred to her marriage as the best thing ever and stated:
"I got married to my first and last love, Kevin Ross. And it was the best thing I've ever done. And that's probably what people wanna know. So now you all know. I'm married."
Kevin Ross' dedication to Muay Thai motivated Carano to begin training herself, eventually leading to her becoming one of the earliest female MMA superstars. From there, she transitioned into Hollywood success with projects like The Mandalorian, Deadpool, and Fast & Furious 6.
Even after years apart and major career changes, Canaro and Ross' connection never completely disappeared. Congratulations to the couple.
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