Tag: Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate skeptical of Kayla Harrison’s move to 135, thinks weight cut will ‘suck the life out of her’

Miesha Tate thinks the weight cut to 135 pounds will affect Kayla Harrison at UFC 300.

The news of the UFC signing [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] was well received by [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag], at least for the most part.

Tate, a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, is excited to see Harrison cross over to her promotion, but she’s skeptical by Harrison’s decision to cut down to 135 pounds.

Harrison has fought most of her MMA career at 155 pounds, and recently dropped to 145. The two-time PFL $1 million season winner never has competed at bantamweight, though UFC CEO Dana White recently said Harrison did a test cut and was successful.

Tate thinks Harrison may be able to get down to the required weight to compete at bantamweight, but doesn’t think she’ll perform at her best.

“When I saw it was at 135, I was shocked, because Kayla Harrison begged for 155-pound division at PFL, and she got it and I think she’s been great there,” Tate said in an interview with SiriusXM. “She’s been tremendous. I know she’s made 145 before. I think it was tough for her. I think 135 is going to really suck the life out of her, and it’s not the best move.

“I guess I’m speaking from personal experience, because when I went down to 125, although I did it and I still had a pretty decent camp, I just didn’t perform at my best, and I think Kayla is just used to being such a big, strong woman, that she won’t have that on her side, and I’m really curious to see how that’s going to benefit her with someone like Holly, who really does move so well. She really has some of the best footwork in the women’s divisions, and I think that’s going to be tough for Kayla.”

Harrison will be debuting at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas. She will take on former champion Holly Holm. Tate is curious to see how this matchup plays out, but given her skepticism around Harrison’s weight cut, she’s picking Holm to win.

“I’m pumped for Kayla,” Tate said. “I’m excited for her to come over here. I think it’s going to be really good, but if you’re asking me who I think is going to win that fight, looking at it right now, I would say Holly.”

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Photos: All-time UFC women’s champions

Take a look at the history of females who have claimed UFC gold.

From the first-ever UFC women’s champion, Ronda Rousey, to the current crop of titleholders, here’s a look at the females who have captured UFC gold since women first step foot in the octagon in 2013.

Miesha Tate defends ‘dynamic’ Pennington vs. Bueno Silva fight: ‘You can’t claim the main event was any more exciting’

Miesha Tate doesn’t get the criticism surrounding the UFC 297 co-main event.

[autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] doesn’t get the criticism surrounding the UFC 297 co-main event.

The vacant woman’s bantamweight title was on the line Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto when [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] faced [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag]. Pennington (16-8 MMA, 13-5 UFC) outlasted Bueno Silva (10-3-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) to become champion.

There wasn’t too much buzz surrounding their fight in the lead-up, which led to an honest admission from Bueno Silva about the matchup itself. Headliner [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag], who lost his middleweight title to Dricus Du Plessis, implied that he was carrying the women on the card.

Former bantamweight champion Tate had quite a bit to say when reacting to Pennington’s win, as well as Strickland’s close loss to Du Plessis.

Scroll below to see Tate’s comments.

Holly Holm seeks UFC 300 return, manager claims Miesha Tate turned down fight three times

Holly Holm’s longtime manager says Miesha Tate “wants nothing to do” with a rematch and they’ll request “someone tougher” at UFC 300.

Although the stars appear perfectly aligned for [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] and [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] to finally have their rematch, it doesn’t appear it’s going to happen.

With Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) coming off a no contest result vs. Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC on ESPN 49 in July and Tate (20-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) recently removed from a third-round submission of Julia Avila at UFC on ESPN 52 in December, both women are in logical position to run it back.

Holm’s team, JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, posted on social media this week stating “The Preacher’s Daughter” was targeting a return to the octagon at UFC 300, which takes place April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and Tate was the ideal opponent.

According to Holm’s longtime manager Lenny Fresquez, however, the interest is not mutual, and he told MMA Junkie on Wednesday that Tate has a repeat history of declining a rematch with his client.

“She wants nothing to do with Holly,” Fresquez said. “She’s turned down the fight three times already. We are looking for someone tougher.”

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Tate, 37, defeated Holm, 42, by fifth-round submission at UFC 196 in March 2016 to capture the women’s bantamweight title. She was trailing in the fight, but managed to score a spectacular finish to claim gold and end Holm’s unbeaten run in MMA.

“Cupcake” told MMA Fighting this month that she was warm to the idea of a rematch with Holm at UFC 300.

“I think it’s a great time,” Tate said. “I think that sounds reasonable. I did I get a little bit of an injury leaving that fight. So I’ve got to get an MRI and check myself out just make sure. But it’s not very severe … I’ve been walking around, and I think I’m actually all right. I think I’ll be OK. So if I can do that, then I think Holly would be a fantastic one.”

Fresquez’s claims indicate Tate is not on the table for the next fight, though, but nothing has been determined with full certainty. The ideal timeline for Holm to fight would be at UFC 300, but her place on the card, nor an opponent, has been solidified.

“We are hopeful we will be on UFC 300,” Fresquez said. “No opponents have been brought up yet.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: Who was the biggest non-headlining mover and shaker at UFC on ESPN 52?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses which non-headlining act stole the show at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

UFC on ESPN 52 was a spectacular event in the Lone Star State.

While lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan closed the show with an emphatic first-round stoppage of Beneil Dariush, there were eight other stoppages on the 12-fight card.

Rising lightweight contender [autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag] throttled Bobby Green in the first round, welterweight standout [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] tapped Kelvin Gastelum, and former champ [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] made a successful return to bantamweight by submitting Julia Avila, among other exciting finishes.

Former flyweight champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] made the move to bantamweight, and looked great in a clear unanimous decision win against longtime contender Rob Font.

But which performance was the most impressive of the bunch?

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Our “Spinning Back Clique” panelists Dan Tom, Matthew Wells, and Brian “Goze” Garcia discuss who stood out along with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Check out their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss the most recent entire episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube or in podcast form.

 

UFC on ESPN 52 medical suspensions: Headliners, Bobby Green among 12 fighters facing 180 days off

A dozen UFC Austin competitors including Arman Tsarukyan, Beneil Dariush, and Bobby Green have been given lengthy suspensions by Texas.

UFC on ESPN 52 took place Saturday at Moody Center in Austin, Texas and featured a dozen fights.

Of the 24 competitors on the card, 12 fighters were suspended 180 days due to injuries sustained in their bouts, according to documentation from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the commissioning body that oversaw the event.

Among those who received the lengthiest suspensions are both sides of the main event, Arman Tsarukyan and Beneil Dariush, as well as co-main eventer Bobby Green.

The TDLR does not reveal injury specifics, just the duration of the suspensions. Fighters are permitted to return to competition prior to the conclusion of their suspension durations should they be cleared by a doctor beforehand.

Check out the 24 medical suspension durations below:

5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN 52: Is referee’s remorse enough after egregious Turner vs. Green stoppage?

Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 52, which proved to be one of the most memorable events of 2023.

What mattered most at UFC on ESPN 52 in Austin, Texas? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Miesha Tate used No. 12 ranking as motivation for dominance at UFC on ESPN 52, appreciation of moment

Miesha Tate reflects on her win at UFC on ESPN 52 and the idea of retirement.

AUSTIN, Texas – Despite her long tenure in the game, [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] is not contemplating retirement.

Tate, a former UFC and Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion, returned to the cage this past Saturday, dominating and then submitting Julia Avila at UFC on ESPN 52. Tate (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) put on a grappling clinic against Avila (9-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and then submitted her with a neck crack in the third round.

The win over Avila marked Tate’s 30th professional fight. Many wondered if that was going to be the last fans saw of Tate, but it looks like there’s a little more left in the tank.

“I don’t feel like that was my last fight, but I feel like any fight I could just know it’s my last one, but I don’t know if I can,” Tate told MMA Junkie at the UFC on ESPN 52 post-fight press conference. “I don’t go into my last fights thinking it’s my last fight – if that makes sense.

“I don’t feel like I’m going into any fight thinking it’s going to be my last, but I’m also going in with the appreciation and the fire that it could be my last. It’s not like it’s pre mediated, but I feel like I’m appreciating these fights in a way that I couldn’t have in the earlier part of my career. … I don’t know how many times I will get to make the walk, and tonight was my 20th victory. I’ve been doing this for 18 years. Some day it will be my last and I want to be sure I get the most out of these moments.”

It’s uncertain how much longer the 37-year-old Tate wil fight for, but she knows the end is coming. What’s certain, is that Tate had a vintage performance on Saturday and a lot was due to a change in mentality and a desire to prove she’s still among the world’s best.

“I wanted this fight to be dominant,” Tate said. “There was a part of me that realized that I haven’t been outside the top 10 rankings the entire time that I’ve been fighting in the UFC, so to see 12 next to my name, I was like, ‘You know what, I have a lot to prove in this fight.’ I had a lot to prove, and I thought I’m going to go out there and maybe for the first time in my career, I’m going to fight with as much of my skill as I can.

“I think I’ve always gone in there thinking what everyone else thinks, ‘I’m tough, and I can endure.’ I kind of made a name for myself for fighting with my heart, but I’m so much better than that.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.

UFC on ESPN 52 post-event facts: Clay Guida sets dubious record with 18th octagon loss

Check out all the facts from UFC on ESPN 52, which saw a record two slam KOs and Clay Guida tying the UFC record for most losses.

The UFC’s third-to-last event of 2023 went down as one of the best of the year. UFC on ESPN 52 delivered with nine stoppages in 12 fights.

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) capped off the night with the quickest finish of the bunch. He dropped and stopped [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] (22-6-1 MMA, 16-6-1 UFC) just 64 seconds into their high-stakes lightweight headliner, solidifying himself as a top contender.

For more on the numbers behind the card, which featured a number of historic feats, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 52.

UFC on ESPN 52 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Four fighters get max non-title money

UFC on ESPN 52 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

AUSTIN, Texas – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 52 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $225,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 52 took place at Moody Center. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 52 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Jalin Turner[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Joaquim Silva[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Punahele Soriano[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Julia Avila[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Cody Brundage[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Drakkar Klose[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Joe Solecki[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Rodolfo Bellato[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Wellington Turman[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jamey-Lyn Horth[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,520; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $52,000 while title challengers get $52,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-52 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,689,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $22,208,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 52.