Miesha Tate announced her retirement at UFC 205. It won’t be wrong to say that the Women’s Bantamweight division has lost its sheen. Miesha has been the cornerstone of the division with her toughness and resilience. A professional mixed martial arts career of 25 fights, with an 18-7 record, she left a legacy that would be sought after by the future fighters.

Bantamweight Title And Rivalry With Ronda Rousey

Her retirement has come at a time when the Women’s Bantamweight title is up for grabs. The upcoming fight between Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 is hyped as is. A fight of epic proportions could have been witnessed if Tate got a shot at the title later. It would have made a classic three-way battle for the crown. A possible Tate vs Rousey would have taken the Women’s Bantamweight division to new heights, given the reputation of their prolonged rivalry.

Tate will be known as one of the most instrumental figures in making women’s fighting interesting to watch in the UFC over the past few years. Her double loss against Rousey at Strikeforce and UFC 168, sparked her career in the positive direction, as she went on to win five straight fights, also defeating Holly Holm to win the Women’s Bantamweight Title along the way.

The Miesha Tate – Ronda Rousey rivalry holds a remarkable place in MMA history. It is credited with bringing women’s MMA to the sport’s premier promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The fighters began a rivalry through social media and interviews, which quickly garnered increased attention from fans and the press. In an interview, Rousey stated, “I think people will look back at this as one of the monumental rivalries, and one of those things that really cemented women’s MMA”. Though Tate and Rousey maintained an ostensibly heated feud, the fighters often expressed respect for each other as competitors.

Miesha Tate: Won’t Fight With Half A Heart

The five back-to-back wins showed Tate’s evolution as a fighter. She proved herself as more than just a one-hit wonder. Her fighting style became much more calculated as she picked her spots to engage and render her opponents defenseless. The title fight against Holm at UFC 196 made sure that Tate wouldn’t fall into the same aggressive Rousey trap. She kept a very safe distance throughout the fight, and made a resounding comeback with a win. Patience has been a key element in all her bouts, and her true grit is eminent throughout her career.

Miesha says that her days as a professional MMA fighter are gone, and she’s moving on to new things. “The competitive nature, it has to be there. I’ve been in contact sports over half my life. It doesn’t have the same thrill that it did when I was 22” she added, “I won’t go in there and fight with half a heart”.

Whatever the reasons may be, it is clear that Miesha Tate will be remembered as an all-round fighter. As one of the more popular female fighters in the sport today, Tate’s presence in the bantamweight division will be surely missed. She did not have her rivals’ standout technical skills, like Ronda Rousey’s judo or Holly Holm’s boxing. But her heart in the heat of the battle remains unmatched among fighters of either gender.

For Miesha Tate’s official fight record, click here.

Image Courtesy: MieshaTate.com

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