Former MMA star turned actress Gina Carano is a well-known name who has found success in both the combat sports world and Hollywood. She is best known for her roles in Fast & Furious 6 and the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, among several other projects. However, Carano has largely kept her personal life away from the public eye. 

Much later, she revealed that she had married her longtime partner, Kevin Ross. A household name in the martial arts world, Ross has long been Carano’s biggest support system. So it is worth knowing more about Ross and how the two met.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Kevin Ross had traveled across the world early in his life with his family before beginning his Muay Thai journey in January 2003. His career as a Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer later took him around the globe to compete. Many might also know him by his nickname, The Soul Assassin. 

Ross revealed in an interview with MMA Mania in 2013 that he received the nickname after his first professional fight in Mexico. Throughout his career, he captured several titles and was even voted Muay Thai North American Fighter of the Year in 2010. In June 2021, Ross announced his retirement from professional fighting. 

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But it was during the early years of his career when he met his now-wife, Gina Carano.

As per Instagram, Gina Carano and Kevin Ross began dating in 2001. And when Ross started training in Muay Thai in 2003, he also inspired Carano to step into mixed martial arts herself. Carano later admitted that watching Ross completely transform his life motivated her to eventually pursue fighting professionally. 

But unfortunately, as both of their careers grew, the demands of training and competition slowly created distance between them. The couple eventually separated, though they remained close friends and supportive of one another. Ross later explained that becoming a fighter required major sacrifices and that included time away from loved ones, family, and friends.

“Having to be in the gym all the time, not being able to go and hang out with your friends. Most people have no clue what it really takes to be a fighter,” he told the Las Vegas Sun.

However, Carano and Ross eventually found their way back to each other. The couple reconciled in 2015 after years apart and later decided to tie the knot in a private and intimate wedding ceremony in 2022, as per the New York Post. Carano only revealed news of their marriage much later, surprising many fans.

“I got married to my first and last love, Kevin Ross,” she said during a press conference (March for her fight in 2026. “And it was the best thing I’ve ever done. So now you all know. I’m married.”

Carano stepped back in the ring nearly 17 years later for her fight with Ronda Rousey in May, 2026. As for her wedding with Ross, she hinted that the two could still hold a bigger celebration in the future when the timing feels right. As of now, they are each other's biggest supporters. 

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Did you know Kevin Ross? Let us know in the comments.