Miesha Tate on overcoming negativity and becoming positive

44:25 into this clip, Miesha Tate talks about how she overcome her extreme anger and negativity towards Ronda Rousey and got into a more healthy and positive mindset towards her and the sport:

The first time that we fought each other I was the one that was unhappy about things and I was the one that was being manipulated her attacks; I just had never dealt with someone like that and after I lost, I really had to re-evaluate myself as a person, I realized that, how stupid that was to play into that and how much it really affected me and how much I did not like it, and how much it made me not like MMA, because all those kind of politics with it. So I just had to change my stance. I remember Bryan (Carraway) and I were in the car driving somewhere and I was really thinking about it really hard...and I was doing some soul searching and I said, "You know Bry, do you think that let my anger and hatred and dislike towards Ronda be like my fire and motivation for the reason I want to fight and beat her again? Or do you think I should let it go and just be appreciative of what she's done and try to be positive about it and be better instead of bitter". And he's like, "Absolutely,  you need to let it go. You're not the kind of person that feeds off of negative energy well and you don't perform at your best when you're under negative charge. And so I says, "I think you're really right". And so I just prayed and tried to clear my heart of any negative emotions or standpoint and I think I did a good job.

Miesha Tate on respecting Ronda Rousey

One that that is very impressive about Miesha Tate is that even though her and Ronda Rousey have a strong rivalry and dislike for one another, Tate is objective about the doors Rousey has opened up for women's MMA and gives her a lot of credit. Many times if someone doesn't like another they can instantly negate all of the other person's characteristics as being flawed, but that isn't the case with Tate, who acknowledges what Ronda has done in the sport and the fact that because of Ronda, Tate pushes herself to be the best athlete and person she can be. Miesha Tate noted this in an interview with MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani:

She's taken women's MMA to a whole new level and she's opened so many doors; like the ESPN shoot, I don't think I probably would have gotten that opportunity if it wasn't for her, and probably wouldn't be fighting in the UFC if it wasn't for her. Now she's opening doors to movies and things like that, so I feel like I'm just riding her heels and as much as I can't stand her personally, just because she's rude all the time, she makes it very hard for me to like her personally, doesn't meant that I don't really admire what she's done in this sport. And I do admire her in a sense; she motivates me, she inspires me to be the best person I could be, and be the best fighter I can be, and she tests me in every single way, so I'm definitely glad to have her in the sport.

One of the things that this sort of reminds me of is how Georges St-Pierre talks about his opponents. He notes that he must respect them because it is due to them that he is able to showcase his skills, earn a living, and be a martial artist. Without an opponent he does not exist as a fighter. GSP notes this in his book The Way of the Fight, he writes:

Before each one of my fights, I make a point of saluting my opponent. I salute the other fighter out of respect, even though he is trying to take something away from me. Not many people understand why I do this, but it’s simple: without the other guy, there is no me. That’s why I pray for the both of us, and not just myself. By stepping into the octagon, my adversary completes me. He makes my life possible. He becomes a part of my existence. To disrespect him is to disrespect myself. Thanks to him, I become a better man. Thanks to his presence, I am a true martial artist. Thanks to his willingness to face me, my life takes shape and moves forward, my path evolves and my life goal nears.

Ronda Rousey and Georges St-Pierre hug it out at UFC press conference

Ronda Rousey and Georges St-Pierre hug it out at 31:40 into this video. This was at the UFC World Tour New York City Press Conference

Quotes from the above fighters linked below:

Alexander Gustafsson
Jon Jones
Johny Hendricks
Georges St-Pierre
Cain Velasquez
Junior Dos Santos
Ronda Rousey
Miesha Tate

 

 

 

 

Miesha Tate thanks Ronda Rousey

Having a rival or someone you dislike can actually be something to be grateful for. They keep you motivated in training and make you all the better a fighter as a result. It's not the crappy fighters that really progress your skills, but the cream of the crop who are scary talented competitors. Surround yourself with the best and test yourself against the best and you will become the best.

UFC 168: Ronda Rousey vs Miesha Tate

Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate will co-headline the UFC 168 card on December 28th, which features a main event between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. These two rematches are anticipated ones, especially the Weidman-Silva one which ended in stunning fashion with Weidman knocking out Anderson Silva in July at UFC 162.

Rousey holds a first round armbar victory over Tate, as she does against all of her opponents to date. The two have a strong dislike for one another, which boiled over on the set of The Ultimate Fighter, and should make for an interesting lead-up to the fight.

 

 

Miesha Tate on Giving Her All

Miesha Tate, who is a former Strikeforce champ, coach on TUF, going for the UFC bantamweight title and has graced the issue of ESPN magazine The Body Issue; always has a sense of peace after her fights regardless of the result:

Whether I come up short or win, I want to walk away knowing I gave my all.