MIESHA TATE SECURES AN ARM BAR SUBMISSION AGAINST JULIE KEDZIE DURING THE STRIKEFORCE EVENT AT VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER ON AUGUST 18, 2012 IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA IMAGE © FORZA LLC VIA GETTY IMAGES
‘CHAMPIONS AREN’T BORN THEY ARE MADE’ - MIESHA TATE
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ot all MMA fan’s warmed to Women fighting in MMA when it first started to be seen on bigger shows. Maybe as MMA is such a tough sport and it requires the fighters to go out of their way to hurt their opponents, meant that not everyone could see why women would want to be doing that. For sure, men yes... as men are always doing stupid stuff! But the world paints a lot of boxes and at first this one just didn’t fit so well. Not until women fighters like Miesha Tate showed that even with model looks, a woman could step into the cage and display excellent and exciting sets of skill with the physical and mental toughness that would put most guys to shame.
MMA UNCAGED talked to Miesha Tate after her big win and gained some great insights to share with you. MMA UNCAGED: IS IT TRUE YOU STARTED WRESTLING IN THE BOYS TEAM AT HIGH SCHOOL? Miesha Tate: Yea that is the truth; I did wrestling because I can’t play basketball. WHAT WERE YOUR INTERESTS GROWING UP. WERE YOU ALWAYS INTO CONTACT SPORTS? I was a very active child, I used to pout when the sun went down and Mom wanted me to come inside, I always wanted to stay out and play longer. I had never done a contact sport until I discovered the
awesomeness of wrestling. WHEN DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN MIXED MARTIAL ARTS? When I left for college I felt a void needing to be filled in that I missed wrestling. When I stumbled across an MMA programme at the college I hesitated but was finally convinced to give it a shot by my dorm neighbour Rosalia. I loved it and have stuck with it ever since. AS A TOP FEMALE ATHLETE, HOW DO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE SPORT REACT TO YOU WHEN THEY HEAR WHAT YOU DO? Many are in disbelief, some say I should model instead, I say where’s the fun in that? People are always so worried about my looks being destroyed but I think life is meant to be lived and looks are temporary anyways. WHEN YOU STARTED OUT WRESTLING
IN HIGH SCHOOL DID YOU HAVE A GOAL IN MIND? DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD BECOME A CHAMPION FIGHTER? Honestly I took wrestling day by day; I never envisioned wrestling taking me to this elite level as a fighter. At the time my goals were small but eventually things fell into place, I set bigger goals and accomplished them as well. HOW DID YOU BECOME SO TOUGH! WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN A FIGHT IS NOT GOING TO PLAN OR YOU’RE IN TROUBLE? I’m very stubborn by nature, seems to be a good quality to have in MMA. Almost all of my friends growing up were boys so I never saw myself as different because I am a female, as a matter of fact I would get mad if anyone treated me like a ‘girl’. When I’m in a fight I just think I can never give up, no matter what happens I can’t give up.
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