WMMA Fighter Gina Carano stars in new action film “Haywire”

The movie “Haywire” directed by Steven Soderbergh and co-starring Ewan McGregor opens in theaters nationwide on January 20, 2012, and promises to deliver 2 hours of action packed suspense and thrills.

What most intriguing about this film for MMA fans is that it starts our very own beloved former StrikeForce Women’s Champion – Gina Carano.

Haywire will be the former American Gladiator’s debut into the Hollywood scene and while we know she can fight, having amassed a 7-1 record during her career as a professional MMA fighter, what we didn't know was whether or not she could act. Many martial artists have graced the stage such as our local favorite – Cung Le. Yet there is always an uncertainty as to whether they can rise above their just said MMA skills to compete in the office box.

Haywire tells the story of Mallory Kane (Carano), a super-secret spy recruited by her former boss (McGregor) to do "one last job" for a faceless organization. As the film unfolds, she finds herself betrayed and on the run, not sure who to trust as she returns to the U.S.

At the end of the day, however, the success of this caper is directly proportionate to the mainstream appeal of Carano, who glows onscreen with an understated charm and old-school glamor, like the kind you might expect from a leading lady in the silent film era. Luckily Gina Carano is sharing the screen with legends such as Antonio Banderas and Michael Douglas.

Not bad for a gal who used to make a living by getting punched in the face for a few hundred bucks a month.

The artist formerly known as "Conviction" is a natural beauty, refreshingly full-figured with a touch of girl-next-door-image, allowing her to kick the crap out of gun-toting bad guys without the audience underestimating her real natural abilities.

That's by design, as Soderbergh makes a concerted effort to play to her strengths, instead of rolling the dice with a more developed character for her onscreen debut. And having an all-star cast to support her certainly doesn't hurt.