Top female mixed martial arts fighter and former Muay Thai fighter Gina Carano will be starring in the upcoming movie Knockout, directed by Oscar award-winning director Steven Soderbergh, according to Variety.

Production for the movie is scheduled to start in January 2010.

Carano made her first movie appearance in Blood & Bone in 2009.

She has also appeared on several television shows, including two seasons of the popular NBC show American Gladiators, playing as Crush.

Carano last competed in MMA in August at the Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg event, where she lost to Cyborg Santos via first-round TKO for the first-ever women’s 145-pound title.

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