Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey have a lot in common.
Both held championship titles for Strikeforce and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the women’s bantamweight division and both refuse to say the word “retired” after walking away from mixed martial arts (MMA) in the wake of poor performances.
And of course we can’t forget this and this.
But they also have their fair share of differences. Tate has generally been media friendly while Rousey has long had a contentious relationship with combat sports reporters, even when it’s not involving her sport.
In fact, “Rowdy” recently told the press that hearing her speak was a privilege and not a right (read it), something that didn’t sit well with “Cupcake” because it alienates the same people who contributed to her success.
Tate talks to MMA Tonight (via MMA Fighting):
“People are gonna say I’m being a hater but I’m gonna be honest, I think it’s a bit ridiculous and I think it’s very above herself. This kind of attitude, this is where we butt heads. This is the point where we don’t agree. Sometimes Ronda will say something that’s humble and I’ll be like, ‘Hey, that’s a great comment.’ This is asinine. I don’t see it as a privilege to hear her speak. She owes it - sort of, to a degree - to her fans. Without the fans and the people who care what you say, what you say doesn’t matter. So when you say something like that I feel like it’s a burn and a slap in the face to the people who love and support you. She has a lot of young ladies that really look up to her and I just don’t think this is the type of attitude that a role model should have because it seems a bit selfish, it really does. I think she should be more grateful for being in the position that she’s in and everybody who has genuinely loved her throughout her career than to turn around and say, ‘It’s a privilege to hear me speak.’ I think it’s a bit ridiculous.”
In defense of Rousey, Tate never had to deal with her level of media coverage.
After getting finished by Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, Rousey made the move to professional wrestling, showing up in tag-team action at WrestleMania 34 just last month. While she still has her fair share of film commitments (like this), “Rowdy” is expected to stick with WWE for the foreseeable future.
Tate, on the other hand, was handling her own business (sample) before her recent pregnancy. It’s a bit ironic, considering “Cupcake” once predicted Rousey would leave fighting to make babies.
Talk to this guy.