Miesha Tate requests Ronda Rousey rematch, feels she was winning before 'mistake'

On any given Sunday, any NFL football team can beat any other squad. And as the iconic John Madden would bark, "it's why they play the game."

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is apparently no different, especially at the highest level of the sport. At least that's how former Strikeforce 135-pound champion Miesha Tate now feels after her tendon-tearing armbar submission loss to Ronda Rousey at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this month.

With about 10 days to reflect on the jaw-dropping, arm-snapping loss, "Takedown" today (March 12, 2012) talked to MMAFighting.com about her current physical condition (her arm is still not broken, but could require surgery) and her desire to run it back against "Rowdy" in the near future.

In fact, Tate felt that she was winning the championship bout before a "mistake" ultimately cost her the belt and nearly her left arm. What's more, it's her belief that Rousey is a one-trick armbar pony and that she just happened to fall victim to that one trick, which Tate described as "phenomenal."

"I, personally, would love the opportunity to have a rematch. I think at a high level, it takes one mistake. Anyone can make a mistake at any moment and someone's able to capitalize on that. I don't feel that Ronda proved anything other than what she's already (proved) -- that she has one thing that she's great at. Really phenomenal at. But everything else, I could beat her. Give me another shot. I think it was competitive. I think for the most part I was probably winning. And I think at a competitive high level, one day one person could beat the one person, and the other day the other person would beat the other person."

Since making the transition to full-time professional MMA one year ago, Rousey -- an Olympic-level judo practitioner who took home a bronze medal in the 2008 games in Beijing, China -- has competed five times, winning them all via first round armbar submission.

However, none were more meaningful or significant than her most recent over Tate. It's a sensational finish that will likely endure forever on highlight reels and MMA forums everywhere.

For now, it appears that Sarah Kaufman has the inside track as Rousey's next opponent. The good news is that with Cristiane Santos mired in a steroids scandal and Gina Carano clomping around another Hollywood movie set, the list of viable contenders to challenge Rousey at the moment is short and sweet.

Indeed, Tate will likely get her rematch very soon. And the visions of her arm being twisted like a pretzel will be omnipresent and inescapable. Make no mistake, the footage (see it here) will certainly be used as a marketing tool if and when Tate is healthy and fit to step back inside the cage.

A gruesome scene that likely plays out all too often from her memory, putting her at a psychological disadvantage if and when the rematch is booked. Rousey would most certainly be the odds-on favorite on fight night for perhaps many reasons, but certainly that one adds the most weight.

But, hey, it's why they play the game. Crazy cats.

For everything else you need to know about the bout between Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey check out our complete fight archive right here.