Issue 088
May 2012
At only 25 years old, Miesha ‘Takedown’ Tate has already enjoyed a high rate of success in her competitive career
It took Miesha Tate just 18 minutes to go from an almost-forgotten entity in the sport of mixed martial arts to the rank of number-one bantamweight girl. ‘Takedown’ is no stranger to success, with her impressive wrestling skills and competitive drive she has excelled in every kind of competition she has ever tried her hand at.
Tate began her career in competitive sports when she wrestled on the boys’ team in high school. She went on to win the women’s wrestling state championship, as well as the nationals at 158lb. Having achieved great success in amateur wrestling, Takedown decided to push herself even further and started training in MMA, claiming: “I had wrestled in high school and was looking to take my ambition to the next level.”
She began training with current boyfriend and Team Alpha Male featherweight fighter Bryan Caraway at the age of 19. When Miesha was 21 years old she had her first taste of professional mixed martial arts competition, taking part in a one-night women’s bantamweight tournament. Tate won her first bout of the evening before being eliminated by eventual competition winner Kaitlin Young.
Over the next few years the fierce female competitor put together an impressive number of victories in multiple fight promotions, with a solid mix of knockout, submission and decision victories, showing her development as a pro fighter. She won the Strikeforce women’s 135lb tournament in August 2010, securing a shot at then champion Marloes Coenen.
The match was originally supposed to take place in March, but Tate was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury. The bout instead took place at the Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson event in July, and saw Miesha finally achieve her goal of becoming the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion when she defeated Coenen via arm triangle choke.
Last year was unquestionably a standout period for Tate, the icing on the cake coming in the form of a silver statuette when she was named ‘Female Fighter of the Year’ at the 2011 Fighters Only World MMA Awards.
WRESTLING
Because the world of amateur wrestling is so male dominated, there are not many well known female fighters with a solid wrestling base. Tate is one of the few women in the sport who boasts impressive wrestling credentials. With her ability to control and submit opponents in such dominating fashion, Miesha’s ground game is good enough to give the guys a run for their money at 135lb.
RELENTLESS
When it comes to fighting in MMA, good grappling skills are all very well in theory, but if you don’t have the nerves to wade through all the strikes that are sure to be coming your way then all that ability won’t count for very much. Tate has as much guts as she has talent and is never afraid to get in her opponent’s face, controlling them in the clinch and on the ground. That’s why they call her ‘Takedown.’
AMBASSADOR
Miesha Tate presents herself as a humble and respectful champion whose only interests are to fight the best and to promote women’s mixed martial arts and the sport in general. Tate is one of the most prominent driving forces in the growth of women’s MMA and, with her admirable attitude and friendly persona, the well spoken Tate is the ideal ambassador for female fighters.
NEED TO KNOW
NAME MIESHA TATE
AGE 25
STARTED 2007
DIVISION BANTAMWEIGHT
STYLE WRESTLING
Based SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
RECORD 12-3
3 (T)KOS (25%)
5 SUBS (41.7%)
4 DECISIONS (33.3%)
Career Snapshot
2007
Makes her professional debut in the 2007 HOOKnSHOOT women’s tournament, fighting twice in one night. Defeats Jan Finney by decision before later being KO’d by a head kick from Kaitlin Young.
2008
Goes 2-0 for the year, winning her Strikeforce debut against Elaina Maxwell and TKO’ing Jamie Lynn Welsh five months later.
2009
Fights five times in the space of eight months, winning two by knockout, two via submission and suffering a unanimous decision loss to Sarah Kaufman.
2010
Enjoys a four-fight winning streak, building her overall record to 11-2. Competes twice in one night for the second time in her career to win the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight tournament.
2011
After an 11-month absence due to a knee injury, Tate returns to the cage at Strikeforce: Fedor vs Henderson and defeats Marloes Coenen via arm triangle to claim the women’s bantamweight championship.
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