Actress and television personality Gina Carano arrives at the 2013 Critic's Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, January 10, 2013
Actress and television personality Gina Carano arrives at the 2013 Critic's Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California, January 10, 2013 REUTERS

Any potential mega-fight between former Strikeforce champion Gina Carano and current UFC queen bee Ronda Rousey is indefinitely shelved as the former is concentrating on her blooming Hollywood career. The former "Face of Woemn's MMA" in 2008 has decided to join the cast of the "Kickoxer remake" which already includes some recognizable names such as Jean Claude Van Damme, WWE professional wrestler Dave Bautista and UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

UFC President Dana White was optimistic of bringing along Carano at the beginning of the year but talks died down in the middle of the year as the UFC boss found dealing with the 32-year-old actress' representatives very hard to deal with. White all but closed the door for a Carano-Rousey possibility and this development only dims the prospect even more.

"(Carano) is the hardest human being we've ever dealt with," White said in late September. "The problem is she allows herself to be handled by these Hollywood (expletive) idiots. In dealing with her people, I don't know if it can be done."

The addition of Carano to the star-studded cast of the action movie remake is the latest sign that the talent is focusing full time on her Hollywood career. According to Ted Fields from Radar Films, Carano has been cast as a vixen and in a gender-bender twist from the original movie, will work as the promoter of the fights. Fields added that the star of the movie "Haywire" will fit the mold of the character who is described as a sort of a sneaky and dangerous temptress.

Aside from Van Damme, St.-Pierre and Bautista, several other notable personalities who hail from mixed martial arts backgrounds have already lent their commitment to the upcoming feature film. Thailand's Tony Jaa was supposed to fill the mentor role but dropped out and was replaced by Van Damme. The main protagonist of the film will be played by Alain Moussi who according to early plot leaks will play the hero who travels to Thailand to seek revenge for his brother's death. Batista will play the role who went to Tong Po in the original movie while several other names such as Joe Vatellini and Joe Schilling of GLORY fame will have cameo appearances.