The matchup between Ronda Rousey and Misha Tate was one of the greatest fights in MMA. When Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey were together, it was certain to be explosive and dangerous. This rivalry was made even more heated by the fact that these two had a history of back-and-forth interactions.
The feud started when Tate attacked Rousey’s attitude and questioned her qualifications. Rousey responded by calling out Tate’s inconsistency and reiterating her commitment to dominating the sport. These interactions fueled an already fierce rivalry and created the conditions for some of the Octagon’s most memorable fights.
8 years ago today,
Ronda Rousey refused to shake Miesha Tate’s hand after defeating her. pic.twitter.com/9r3HwzzqYp
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) December 28, 2021
In the history of MMA, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate are two iconic figures. So let’s examine their remarkable interactions in more detail as well as the intriguing rivalry that developed between them when they were on The Ultimate Fighter.
First showdown of Ronda Rousey vs. Misha Tate
These two fighters faced off against each other for the first time on March 3, 2012, which was held under the Strikeforce banner before getting moved to UFC. The first fight was a hard-fought battle where in the opening minutes Rousey tried for an armbar but Tate escaped the hold and retaliated with strikes.
Following a back-and-forth session of grappling, Rousey secured a second armbar during the final minute of the first round, forcing Tate to submit at 4:27. With this victory Rousey not only won the fight but also went on to become the new Bantamweight Champion.
This win not only cemented Rousey’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with but also intensified the budding rivalry between the two fighters.
Misha Tate shot at redemption: Ronda Rousey vs. Misha Tate 2
After the first match ended in favor of Ronda Rousey, this time it was Misha Tate who was coming into this match with redemption in mind. On December 28, 2013, at UFC 168, these two superstars faced each other once again, and this time the outcome was no different.
Ronda Rousey as expected kept the pressure on in early rounds of one and two, while Rousey eventually submitted Misha Tate at 0:58 sec of round 3. This second win over Misha Tate secured the legacy of Rousey as a global superstar and their second encounter only added fuel to the fire of their rivalry.
The rivalry continued during The Ultimate Fighter of Season 18
The drama continued outside of the Octagon. For Season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter, which aired in 2013, Rousey and Tate were selected as the rival coaches. The conflict between Rousey and Tate’s personalities took center stage, as this was the first time the reality TV series featured female fighters.
Rousey fought against Tate as a coach, who brought a new teaching method to the table. The animosity between the two trainers infused the fighters’ conversations and training sessions, creating a heated environment throughout the season.
However, Team Rousey was successful in the end, with two of her fighters, Julianna Pena and Chris Holdsworth, winning their respective classes. The success of Rousey’s team not only added another chapter to her feud with Tate but also demonstrated her coaching abilities.
These two fighters have had some incredible rivalry moments to cheer upon, but if you look at the results, it was Ronda Rousey who was on top on all three occasions. So it is safe to say that Rousey was the better woman when compared to Misha Tate.