Gina Carano Is Married To Kevin Ross, Their Love Story Explored As Ronda Rousey Beats Her At MVP MMA

Gina Carano recently took on fellow pioneer of women's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Ronda Rousey in the 145 lbs (Featherweight) category. The duo had officially come out of their retirement to lock horns with each other in the highly anticipated bout. The superfight, titled Rousey vs Carano, took place on May 16, 2026 (ET). Notably, it was the first-ever MMA match livestreamed globally by Netflix and promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). As for the results, Gina Carano lost the fight against Ronda Rousey within the first 17 seconds.

The MVP MMA bout marked Gina's first professional fight in nearly 17 years (since 2009) and Ronda's first in a decade. Despite the loss, Gena's fans are lauding her massive personal milestone before the event. She revealed on her Instagram account that she shed 100 pounds in just a year and a half through gruelling training. Gina focuses her public presence on her career and keeps her personal life away from the spotlight. However, just a few days before her MMA comeback, she announced her marriage. Here's a timeline tracing her relationship with her husband, Kevin Ross.

When did Gina Carano and Kevin Ross' love story start?

Gina Carano and Kevin Ross officially began dating in 2001. According to his Instagram post, the couple admitted their love for each other in May of that year. Within two years of dating, he decided to leave his job to pursue what he loves, i.e., martial arts. He started training in Muay Thai, and his impulsive yet determined decision inspired Gina to do the same. Kevin eventually introduced her to combat sports and helped her launch her MMA career. Recalling the same during an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, she said:

"Being a fighter changed his [Kevin's] life completely. In one night he just made the decision to stop everything that he was doing and start something that he always wanted to do, and that inspired me to eventually sign up."

Kevin Ross and Gina Carano broke up after a few years

After four years of dating, Kevin and Gina broke up due to the intense demands of their fighting careers. The path which he himself introduced to Gina became the reason for their drifting apart. As both of their fighting careers took off, the relentless training schedules made it difficult to spend time together. Reflecting on the split, Kevin highlighted the toll the sport takes, stating that fans don't see the strain of "having to be in the gym all the time" and the massive sacrifice on their friends and family.

Gina Carano echoed a similar sentiment to her now-husband, Kevin and noted that they always maintained a deep respect and close friendship even after their split. Talking about the same with Las Vegas Sun, she shared that it was "weird" that they eventually broke up as he meant a lot to her and gave her life a purpose. Her exact words were:

"He really did start off my career and gave me meaning to my life. It's weird that it happened, I don't know if it wasn't for him. He's the kind of person who in one day completely just changed his life and that affected mine."

Kevin Ross and Gina Carano reconciled and secretly got married

Kevin and Gina got back together in 2015 after about a decade apart, according to the New York Post. They dated for five years before marrying in a private courthouse ceremony, according to PEOPLE. He revealed that they kept it a secret even from their families for about a year. Explaining the reason, he stated, "We just wanted to keep it to ourselves" because of Gina's rising popularity at the time. The couple decided to announce their wedding plans to the world after a lavish ceremony in late 2025. However, that had to be put off as her match with Ronda Rousey neared.

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."

More about Gina Carano's husband, Kevin Ross

Gina Carano's better half, Kevin Ross is a retired American Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer, as per PEOPLE. Due to his reputation as a fierce competitor, he is nicknamed The Soul Assassin. Kevin is a highly accomplished martial artist who holds multiple global titles, including the inaugural Bellator Kickboxing Featherweight World Championship and the Lion Fight Super Lightweight World Championship. Kevin was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on July 27, 1980, as per his bio. Thus, he is 45 years old as of May 2026, which makes him a year older than his wife, Gina.

Kevin began his martial arts training in 2003 and moved "every couple of months," and "went to so many different schools" due to "various reasons" as per his statement in the Authentic Adversity Podcast in 2003. The mixed martial artist began his journey in Muay Thai because he was "always drawn to it and it always intrigued" him. Kevin shared in the same podcast, "it did seem so far from anything I could or would ever do." During his chat with MMA Mania, also opened up on the nickname The Soul Assassin, saying that he received it from some random dude after his first professional fight in Mexico.

PC: Kevin Ross/Instagram, Netflix/Instagram

What are your thoughts on Gina Carano and Kevin Ross' secret marriage? Let us know.

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