Gina Carano Might Soon Have a Deal in the UFC, ‘UFC Tonight’s’ Ariel Helwani Reveals the Negotiation is ‘Progressing’

The talks about Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) president Dana White getting Gina Carano on the UFC stable continue to make noise in the mixed martial arts rumour mill. A new report states that a deal is advocating progress and Carano might soon have a deal in the UFC.

MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani stated on UFC Tonight's July 23 episode that Carano is "progressing" toward deal in the UFC. "According to Helwani, sources close to negotiations indicate the talks are 'doing a lot better,' than they had previously, characterizing a potential contract deal as 'getting close,' wrote the Web site.

On July 18, White told the press during the usual "media scrum" in Dublin, Ireland that he was expectant that Carano will sign to UFC in one week's time, MMA Junkie reported. He added that Carano would likely be in for a super fight and title shot with Ronda Rousey in December.

Carano has not fought since 2009 when she suffered her first defeat against Cristiane Justino. Fox Sports' Marc Raimondi thought Carano will be a "massive underdog" if she ever faces Rousey.

White has reportedly met with Carano's lawyers on July 21.

In March, Carano told Fox Sports that she was open to the idea of signing with UFC, only if the "circumstances were right." She pointed out that she has never retired from the sport. As with any athlete, it was never easy to make a concluding decision to put an end to a sports career. Even though Carano has never wrestled professionally since her first loss, she said that she has always kept the door to a possible comeback to the sport open. She also revealed, albeit not divulging the identity of those people that she has spoken with, that she was amenable to the idea of returning if things worked out just as she would want them to.

"I wish I could open up my mind and tell you things that I've seen and the conversations that I've had, but I think to sum it up in a nice, safe way for me is if circumstances were right, and if it's a good enough circumstance (I would come back) because my first love is MMA."