Miesha Tate acknowledges she`ll never have the chance to avenge her past defeats to Ronda Rousey. Facing Kayla Harrison could potentially serve as the closest alternative for seeking closure.
Their rivalry is legendary in the sport, culminating in two losses for Tate, the last being in 2013. Although Tate later defeated Holly Holm, who famously knocked out Rousey for the UFC title, a rematch with Rousey never materialized. Rousey has since retired from competition with no apparent plans to return, leaving Tate without direct satisfaction regarding those losses.
This situation has understandably left Tate feeling unsatisfied. However, the arrival of two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison in the UFC presents an opportunity to potentially face a fighter with a comparable skillset.
“I`ve desperately wanted to show how much better I can perform against a judoka now compared to before,” Tate explained, referencing her encounters with Rousey, an Olympic judo bronze medalist. “I lost those first two matches to Ronda and I simply didn`t understand what was happening. I have an entirely different coaching staff now, people who can genuinely simulate fighting someone with a judo background. Back when I was facing Ronda, it was impossible to find high-level women judokas who were also okay with me punching them in the face while trying to avoid being thrown. I couldn`t find that kind of training partner. I trained with some men, but they weren`t as slick as Ronda; they relied much more on muscling techniques.”
“Since that time, I`ve been working intensely to improve my judo defense and offense. I feel like I finally possess the necessary tools. So, at some point, even if it`s not a title fight, I genuinely believe fighting Kayla Harrison would be excellent.”
Tate, who is set to compete against Yana Santos at the upcoming UFC Des Moines event in May, emphasizes that unlike her heated clashes with Rousey, her interest in fighting Harrison is purely professional and not personal.
She acknowledges that Harrison is a distinct fighter from Rousey, but their shared, nearly identical judo background and tendency to dominate opponents on the ground makes them somewhat alike.
For this reason, Tate would relish the opportunity to test her skills against Harrison, potentially helping to “exorcise” some of those lingering frustrations from the Rousey fights along the way.
“Kayla is a highly respected judoka,” Tate stated. “She has credentials similar to Ronda`s. She`s her own fighter, her own individual. Defeating her wouldn`t hold the exact same sweetness as avenging those two losses to Ronda, but it would be a fantastic second-best outcome, and I`d absolutely accept it.”
“I would take pride in people saying, `You know what, I think Miesha was right. She managed to back up her claims and she clearly learned a lot about judo. She was able to defeat Kayla Harrison, and likely, if they ever had that third fight, she`d beat Ronda too.`”
While Tate is slated for May, Harrison is scheduled for her first chance at a UFC championship against Julianna Pena in the co-main event of UFC 316 in June. Tate naturally intends to follow this matchup closely, not only due to her long-standing friendship with Pena but also because she is eager to re-enter the title picture herself sooner rather than later.
“I`m excited to see what transpires between them, and I might just call for a fight against the winner,” Tate commented on potentially challenging the victor. “I believe it`s justified; I think I`ve earned that opportunity.”
