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Why Miesha Tate Win Should Concern Ronda Rousey

By Toni Matthews

From the archive: published Mar 6, 2016, 10 years ago. Details may have changed since.

Miesha “Cupcake” Tate is the woman at the top of the mountain — and she did it by outsmarting and outfighting Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm. Holm is the same woman who made Tate’s long-time rival, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey look like an amateur.

I suspect that people are already lining up to talk down Tate’s big night while trying to pump air into Rousey’s “Hypemobile.” The nerve of some people!

Miesha Tate was overdue for a title shot. Long overdue as the obvious No. 1 contender in the Women’s Bantamweight division. And what did Dana White do? Announce Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm at UFC193 while leaving Tate with egg on her face. Apparently, she was promised a rematch that didn’t happen, and wasn’t even warned that there was a change. Instead, White brought in a No. 7 contender nicknamed “The Preacher’s Daughter.”

There’s a saying: “God don’t like ugly.”

https://youtu.be/P_bHldzX89o

And so, down went Ronda Rousey by knockout in the second round, and down went the hype train with her. Left standing was Miesha Tate, who was the only possible woman available as a valid and deserving title challenger.

I’ll admit I was worried for Tate.

I was afraid for Miesha, afraid that she would charge forward to take Holly Down and leave herself open to being knocked out. I kept expecting Holly Holm to out-box her (which, for the most part, is what happened) or KO her with a kick to the head. Instead, Miesha Tate demonstrated that she was a very smart, very patient, and very determined fighter.

I want to give credit to Holly Holm, who escaped what was an almost certain submission in the second round. I hope people don’t think we’ve seen the last of her. This isn’t Rocky IV where “Clubber” Lang mysteriously disappears and never gets a re-match. I suspect she’ll get her rematch in the future and continue to be a vital part of the UFC.

There’s also a debate as to whether she tapped or didn’t tap. Holm didn’t. For reference, see Conor McGregor.

But returning to Miesha Tate’s win and the question people couldn’t wait to ask: Who would she be fighting next? Tate said during her post-fight interview with Fox Sports 1 commentators that she wanted to “eat some cupcakes and drink beer” and then take 48 hours to think about it and talk it over with her management.

There is a genuine consensus that the inevitable outcome is that Tate is going to give Ronda her chance to win the title back, and what I really don’t want to happen is for Dana White to once again (allegedly) throw Miesha Tate under the bus in an effort to get the Ronda Rousey hype train back on track.

Let’s not forget what we witnessed Saturday night, because from a logical standpoint, it should be worrying to Ronda and her fans.

Having watched and rewatched the Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm fight multiple times, there were a few things that were painfully obvious. First, that Ronda wasn’t prepared for a fight that lasted longer than a round. She was winded in the second round. Sluggish. Out of breath and out of shape.

That’s why it was so easy for Holly Holm to stay away from her and fight her fight: Ronda Rousey was comparatively slow.

Ronda Rousey was also used to being able to overpower her opponents and go for a quick punch and submission technique. She couldn’t do this to Holm. With her usual gameplan out the window, Rousey was adrift at sea without hope. She didn’t have a prayer.

Miesha Tate watched that bout carefully and then did everything right in her own fight. Miesha neutralized Holly’s left jab and avoided most of her kicks. Her timing was on point and she was able to utterly devastate Holm with a second round takedown that won her the round.

Despite such an impressive round performance, it was to me clear that Holly’s strikes and kicks brought her out front point-wise. MMAMania confirmed my observation. If the fight had gone to the judges, Holm would have won. Despite being behind three rounds to one, Tate to panic or make stupid mistakes. Instead, she became more aggressive, and when the opportunity presented itself, she tackled Holly to the ground and choked Holm out.

Quite frankly, this fight shouldn’t inspire Ronda. There is nothing here but a sign that perhaps everyone has underestimated Miesha. The woman waiting for Rousey isn’t the one she beat a few years ago.

Miesha Tate demonstrated a ruthlessness, skills set, and patience that Ronda Rousey herself lacks — and has been exposed as lacking. Ronda Rousey does not hold any psychological advantage here. Tate is free to claim that the Rousey camp has been dodging her this whole time, and the outcome of UFC196 is exactly why.

Ronda Rousey is going to have to train harder than she’s ever trained before and not make the mistake she made against Holly Holm: assuming her fight against Miesha Tate will be a walk in the park. No one should make this assumption going forward.

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