Gina Carano has spent her career defying expectations — first as a pioneer of women’s MMA, then as a Hollywood action star, and now as a 43-year-old preparing for one of the most anticipated comeback fights in combat sports history. But the most surprising revelation of 2026 had nothing to do with any of that. It was personal — and it had been a secret for nearly four years.
Who Is Gina Carano’s Husband?
Gina Carano’s husband is Kevin Ross, the retired American kickboxer and Muay Thai specialist known in combat sports circles as “The Soul Assassin.” Carano confirmed the marriage herself in early March 2026 during a press conference in Inglewood, California, held to promote her upcoming bout against Ronda Rousey. When asked to share something the public did not already know about her, she did not hesitate. She revealed that she had moved to a farm in Montana and that she was married to her “first and last love, Kevin Ross” — describing it as the best decision she had ever made.
The Secret Wedding: August 2022
What made the announcement even more striking was the timeline. Kevin Ross, 45, confirmed in a subsequent interview that the couple had not recently married — they had actually tied the knot in a quiet courthouse ceremony back in August 2022. For nearly four years, they kept the marriage entirely private, not even informing their own families for several months after the ceremony. They simply wanted to protect something precious from the inevitable public scrutiny that accompanies any announcement connected to Carano’s name.
The couple had at one point planned a larger celebration on their Montana farm, but those plans were set aside when the opportunity for Carano’s comeback fight against Rousey presented itself. As Ross made clear, their commitment to each other has always taken precedence over any ceremonial occasion.
A Love Story Two Decades in the Making
The depth of their bond becomes clearer when you understand the full timeline. Carano and Ross first began dating in May 2001 — two young martial artists at the beginning of their respective careers. They dated for roughly four years before going their separate ways. Then, in 2015, on the exact 14th anniversary of the day they first met, they reconnected. They have been together ever since, culminating in their secret 2022 marriage.
Their history goes deeper than romance. Carano’s head coach John Wood, who has known both of them for 20 years, confirmed that Ross is a central pillar of her support system. In a social media post from 2015 when they first went public with their rekindled relationship, Ross wrote that Carano was the reason he was doing what he was doing — and, more profoundly, the reason he was “even alive and walking around still.”
That level of mutual dependence is not hyperbole. A reported chapter of their shared history involves Carano, who struggled with substance abuse in her early twenties following a difficult childhood, making a life-changing agreement with Ross’s father. That pact helped steer both her and Kevin away from a destructive path and toward the discipline of martial arts — a direction that, by their own account, basically saved both of their lives. It is a foundation built not just on love but on genuine survival and redemption.
Who Is Kevin Ross?
Kevin Ross is a highly respected figure in American combat sports entirely independent of his relationship with Carano. Known as “The Soul Assassin,” he is considered one of the foremost American practitioners of Muay Thai and has competed at the highest levels of kickboxing throughout his career. His expertise, discipline, and deep knowledge of the sport make him a natural training partner and coach for Carano as she prepares for her comeback.
He is not simply the famous wife’s husband. He is a serious athlete with his own legacy in a demanding sport, and his influence on Carano’s journey — both personal and professional — stretches back more than two decades.
Gina Carano’s Past Relationships
With the marriage now public, some have revisited Carano’s relationship history. Her most publicly known previous relationship was with English actor Henry Cavill, with whom she was linked between 2012 and 2014. That relationship generated considerable tabloid coverage at the time, given Cavill’s profile as Superman in the DC film universe.
The contrast with her relationship with Ross is stark. Where the Cavill connection was brief and largely surface-level in terms of public knowledge, her bond with Ross spans more than two decades, survived a decade-long separation, and ultimately became a secret marriage. Whatever else came before, Ross is clearly the defining relationship of her life.
Life on the Montana Farm and What Comes Next
Carano mentioned during her press conference that she and Ross have built a life on a farm in Montana — a deliberate retreat from the industry noise that has surrounded her career and public persona in recent years. Ross has echoed that their Montana home is central to who they are as a couple, and the farm wedding they never got around to having remains a possibility down the road.
For now, though, the focus is on May 16, 2026, when Carano steps back into competition for the first time since 2009 against Ronda Rousey at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The fight will be streamed on Netflix and is promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. Her coach John Wood has been unequivocal that this is not a nostalgic cash grab — Carano is training to win. Rousey herself has said the fight’s origins came from genuine concern for Carano, having seen a video that suggested she might need a goal to reignite her competitive fire.
Whether she wins or loses on May 16, she will do so with Kevin Ross — her first love, her husband, and the man who has been by her side through the most defining chapters of her life — in her corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gina Carano’s husband?
Gina Carano’s husband is Kevin Ross, a retired American kickboxer and Muay Thai specialist known as “The Soul Assassin.” They married in a private courthouse ceremony in August 2022.
When did Gina Carano and Kevin Ross get married?
They married quietly in August 2022 but kept the marriage secret for nearly four years, revealing it publicly in March 2026.
How did Gina Carano and Kevin Ross meet?
They first began dating in May 2001. After splitting up, they reconnected in 2015 on the exact 14th anniversary of the day they first met and have been together since.
Did Gina Carano and Henry Cavill date?
Yes. Carano and Henry Cavill were linked romantically between 2012 and 2014, though neither spoke extensively about the relationship publicly.
Do Gina Carano and Kevin Ross have children?
As of 2026, there is no public information indicating that the couple have children together.
When is Gina Carano’s fight against Ronda Rousey?
The fight is scheduled for May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, to be streamed on Netflix.
Final Thoughts
There are love stories, and then there are love stories. Gina Carano and Kevin Ross — two fighters who found each other at the start of their careers, lost each other for a decade, found each other again on an anniversary they had apparently both remembered, and then quietly married in a courthouse without telling anyone — theirs is the latter kind. The fact that it stayed secret for four years, in an era when almost nothing stays secret, says everything about what they were protecting. As Carano steps back into the spotlight in 2026, the most interesting part of her story is no longer what happens in the cage — it is the life she has built on a Montana farm with the man she calls her first and last love.
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