Maxim Happy Hour: UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate
UFC champ Miesha Tate talks Ronda Rousey, her first film, and why she's voting GOP this election.
Posted by Maxim on Monday, March 28, 2016
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate recently spoke with Maxim about winning the title from Holly Holm at UFC 196, her rumored trilogy bout against Ronda Rousey later this year and more. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On her confidence level since becoming champion and the myth that Ronda Rousey is unbeatable:
“I’m very confident. I was telling everyone that Ronda Rousey is not this unbeatable woman and everyone was like, ‘You’re crazy’ then Holly Holm went out there and kicked her head off, and I was like, ‘See? I told you she was only human.’ Then I went out there and choked out Holly. It just goes to show you on any given day that someone can go out there and win fights. I want to go out there and I want to rematch her. I feel so excited now that I have the belt. It’s like I’m supercharged and I feel confident. Definitely. I want to get back in there.”
On Rousey not seeming like someone who badly wants to improve after a loss:
“Well, you know obviously there’s exploiting her holes in her game,” Tate said of a plan to beat Rousey. “She’s been exposed, for sure. I really question her mentality. I know whenever I’ve been put through any kind of adversity or come back from a loss the first thing I want to do when I come back from a loss is to get in the gym and get better. That’s not what I heard from her. I have yet to hear, ‘Oh, I just want to get back in the gym and get better.’ She has other reasons and other things she wants to go focus on so it just makes me question.
“She said she wants to have kids with Travis Browne. I don’t know where her mind is with everything. I’m not really seeing something that sticks out to me that I can identify with like, ‘Is this a comeback fighter?’ I don’t know. We’re questioning whether she’ll ever fight again. It seems to me like she’s in a weird mental state. And I feel like I’m mentally the best I’ve ever been. It’s all come together perfectly. Another thing is the camp I’ve been working with. We’re on a five fight win streak. My coaches and I have really gelled and we’re speaking the same language. I feel like I’m evolving quickly. Not only physically, but mentally and my confidence. Everything.”
On who she feels she’ll be fighting next:
“I don’t know who’s going to be next,” said Tate. “I still have to talk to the UFC. I’ve got to let the dust settle and figure out what my options are. [Rousey or Holm] would be excellent fights for sure. Also there’s Amanda Nunes. There’s Cat Zingano, there’s Julianna Pena. I don’t want to get fixated on that person until I know who it is. I have to be ready as a champ for anyone, anytime. I have a big target on my back. I’ll be ready for whoever.”
