Over the last few years women’s MMA has moved to the forefront amongst female combat sports as boxing has failed to develop new female stars. Arguably the most popular woman in MMA is current Strikeforce standout Miesha “Takedown” Tate.  Like Gina Carano, another well known mixed martial artist, Tate is more than just a pretty face. “I am in this sport for the competition and to help it grow,” said Tate. “I want people to look at us women as skilled fighters first and if we happen to be attractive, well, it’s a bonus.”

Despite beginning her career at a more advanced age, Tate has become a women's MMA star. The 25 year-old Tacoma, Washington native had six amateur fights before turning pro. She fights under Strikeforce's prootional banner and garnered more attention last month when she lost her Strikeforce bantamweight (135 pounds in MMA) title on Showtime against Ronda Rousey. The fight was the main bout on the Strike Force promoted event in Columbus, Ohio and ended with Rousey applying a brutal arm bar to Tate to end the fight. video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAwoPCOxZ0

Tate was always athletic as a child, and began to wrestle in high school. "It was either play basketball or wrestle, and I chose to wrestle." recalled Tate. "Unfortunately, my school didn't have a girls wrestling team so I joined the boys team. Most of my matches were against boys, but I did face some girls too. Actually, I must have had about 20 matches with girls and only lost one, my first." Tate was won her coach’s award for her hard work competing with the boys. It wasn't until her freshman year at Central Washington University that Tate became interested in MMA. She started training at an MMA gym and became fascinated as she continued grappling and learned various submission holds.

"My first amateur fight was against Elizabeth Posner, a Muay Thai specialist from Canada," said Tate. I pretty much controlled the fight until she broke my nose with a knee in the second round. I kept fighting but at the end of the round my corner stopped the fight, it was a learning experience. I won my next five amateur fights and turned pro."

Tate competed in the Bodog Hook N Shoot single-day tournament for her pro debut in 2007. She won a grueling decision over Jan Finney before having to fight about 20 minutes later. “I was exhausted from a tough fight, in hindsight I should have never have been back in the ring so soon,” said Tate. In the second round of the tourney, Tate would fight dangerous striker Kaitlin Young. About 30 seconds into the fight Young landed a high kick to the left side of Tate’s face. The result was ugly as Tate’s body went limp while she crumbled to the canvas. “I saw the kick coming but reached to block it instead of defending close to my face, it was another learning experience,” recalled Tate.

Miesha Tate would fight again in 2008 after being called out by Strikeforce veteran Elena Maxwell. She would accept the challenge and went on to beat Maxwell by unanimous decision at 145 lbs. After four more wins she had impressed the Strikeforce brass enough to earn a multi-fight contract in 2009. She lost a close decision to then-undefeated Sara Kaufman but Tate was beginning to come into her own in the MMA world.

She then went on a  five-fight win streak, with three wins coming inside the distance. In July of 2011 Strikeforce finally provided Tate with what she had worked her whole adult life for. With an 11-2, record she was offered a shot at an MMA world title, the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight (135 lb) championship, against Marloes Coenen. The fight was pretty even through three rounds with 10 of the 15 minutes spent on the ground as each girl had their moments. In the fourth round Tate gained side control and turned it into an arm triangular choke. Coenen, who had never been submitted, had no other choice but to tap out and Tate fulfilled her dream of winning a world title.

A rematch with Sarah Kaufman, one of the two women to defeat her, was likely next. But somehow outspoken judo specialist “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey had other plans. Instead of giving Kaufman her well-deserved title shot, Strikeforce matched Tate vs. Rousey for the bantamweight championship on March 3rd, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. Tate believes that Rousey, with only four professional fights on her resume, did not deserve the opportunity. Rousey had won four fights in a total of 118 seconds via arm bar submission.

“I knew Ronda because I was supposed to go out to LA and train with her in the past but it never materialized,” said Tate. “I knew she was a pretty good fighter but didn’t think she was on my level.”

The two fighters verbally sparred during the buildup and fight promotion at press conferences, via Twitter, and during interviews. By the time fight week approached the fact that they didn’t respect each other was well publicized. Fuel was added to the fire at the weigh-in as Tate and Rousey butted heads while coming together for a stare down.

The betting public did not share Tate's view that Rousey was an unworthy challenger, and Rousey closed as a 6-1 betting favorite. What happened in tier fight was something that no one who saw would forget. “Going into the fight my plan was to hit her hard, frustrate her, and break her will,” said Tate.

In the beginning of the round Tate backed Rousey up with several punches, a couple of which stunned the challenger. It appeared that it would be a short night if Rousey chose to strike with Tate, and she knew it. But Rousey took Tate down and almost immediately put Tate in an arm bar. Even though her left arm seemed damaged, Tate fought out of it and got back to her feet. The two women would exchange control as they grappled over the next two minutes. Once back on their feet, Rousey was able to execute a beautiful judo hip toss that set the stage for a very gruesome ending.

With 50 seconds remaining in the round, Rousey caught Tate in another arm bar. Tate’s left arm appeared to be trashed but she would not submit. It took 16 unwatchable seconds before Tate finally tapped out. “There were several things going through my mind, like losing money, losing my title, and the fact that it was Ronda Rousey,” added Tate. “I get asked about how I was able to keep from tapping immediately, but it was for those reasons, the longevity of my career was not on my mind.”

Probably unbeknownst to most, it is common for MMA contracts to have show, and win stipulations. Without divulging the specifics of her purse, Tate elaborated. “My purse could be $20,000 to show, and it would pretty much double if I win,” explained Tate. ”I really didn’t want to give it all up, so I held on as long as I could.”

The fact that Tate didn’t give up despite her arm being shredded is only something a fighter can understand. If you doubt the extraordinary amount of suffering involved, just go down to your local MMA gym and ask to have an arm bar applied, it will convince you in less than two seconds. There are fighters of different genres all over the world quitting under circumstances that are much less daunting.  Amazingly, Tate says that her left arm is back to full extension and that there is no more swelling or bruising.

As for a rematch, the former champ wants another shot at Ronda Rousey. “I’d like to think that I am a fair person, and Sarah Kaufman deserves the next shot,” said Tate. “I want a rematch with Ronda eventually, or actually with the winner of that fight. Either way I would be getting an opportunity to avenge a defeat. If I had to predict a winner, I think that as long as Ronda doesn’t let Kaufman’s striking ability intimidate her, she will find a way to win.”

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