Miesha Tate
Encyclopedia
Miesha Tate is a professional mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

.

She is the current Strikeforce
Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

 Women's Bantamweight
Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...

 Champion and the current Freestyle Cage Fighting Women's Bantamweight Champion. She has also competed and won a silver medal in the FILA Grappling Championships.

Tate is currently the #4-ranked pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMARising.com and the #1-ranked 135-pound female fighter according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings.

Early life

Tate wrestled on the boys' wrestling team in high school. In 2005, she won the high school women's state championship and went on to win nationals at the World Team Trials in the 158 lb division.

Soon after, Tate joined a mixed martial arts sport club at Central Washington University
Central Washington University
Central Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...

 that was run by her current boyfriend and trainer, Bryan Caraway
Bryan Caraway
Bryan Caraway is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division and formerly the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2005, Caraway has made a name for himself fighting for Strikeforce, EliteXC, and World Extreme Cagefighting. He is a competitor on...

.

Mixed martial arts career

Tate debuted in mixed martial arts in 2007 at the one-night HOOKnSHOOT Women's Grand Prix. She defeated Jan Finney
Jan Finney
Jan Finney is an American female mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the 135-pound bantamweight division.-Mixed martial arts career:...

 in the opening round, but was knocked out later in the night by a head kick from eventual tournament champion Kaitlin Young
Kaitlin Young
Kaitlin R. Young is an American female mixed martial artist. She competed in the bantamweight division for EliteXC.Young is currently the #10-ranked 135-pound female fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings....

.

On June 27, 2008, Tate faced Cung Le
Cung Le
Cung Le is a Vietnamese-American Sanshou kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and actor from Saigon, Vietnam currently competing in the UFC. He is the former IKF Light Heavyweight San Shou World Champion and has a professional San Shou record of 16-0 before moving to mixed martial arts...

 protégé Elaina Maxwell at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Strikeforce. The event took place at the HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California on Friday, June 27, 2008. The main event was the long awaited match between lightweights Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson for the...

. Tate moved up in weight for the fight and defeated Maxwell by Unanimous Decision.

Tate won three more times and captured the FCF Women's Bantamweight
Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...

 Championship by defeating Liz Carreiro at Freestyle Cage Fighting on April 4, 2009.

She returned to Strikeforce at Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina
Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina
Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The inaugural Strikeforce Challengers event took place on May 15, 2009 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.It was broadcast live on Showtime in the United States.-Televised...

 on May 15, 2009. Tate was originally scheduled to face Kim Couture
Kim Couture
Kimberly Joy Couture is a professional mixed martial artist. She has fought for and was formerly signed to the Strikeforce promotion. She's the ex-wife of MMA fighter Randy Couture.-Early life:...

, but Couture withdrew from the fight due to undisclosed reasons and Tate was matched up against undefeated Canadian Sarah Kaufman instead. In a competitive fight, Tate was defeated by Unanimous Decision, but it marked the first time that Kaufman had gone to a decision.

Tate knocked out Sarah Oriza eight seconds into the second round at a CageSport MMA event on October 3, 2009.

She successfully defended her FCF title by defeating Valerie Coolbaugh in the first round by armbar at FCF 38 on January 16, 2010.

Tate faced Zoila Gurgel at Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe
Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe
Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The seventh Challengers episode took place on March 26, 2010, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The event drew an estimated 316,000 viewers on Showtime.-Televised card:*Heavyweight bout: ...

 on March 26, 2010. Tate won the fight by armbar submission in the second round.

Tate is scheduled to be part of the one-night Strikeforce 135-pound women's tournament on August 13, 2010 at Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The tenth Challengers episode took place on August 13, 2010, at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.-Background:...

. A random drawing was held on the day of the weigh-ins to determine first-round matchups and Tate faced Maiju Kujala in the opening round of the tournament.

Tate defeated Kujala by unanimous decision after two rounds to advance to the tournament final. She then defeated Hitomi Akano
Hitomi Akano
, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...

 by unanimous decision after three rounds to become Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Tournament Champion.

Tate was scheduled to challenge Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

 for the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship on March 5, 2011, but withdrew from the fight after suffering a knee injury in training.

In order to unify all weight classes, Zuffa changed the title held by Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

 from Welterweight to Bantamweight prior to the fight taking place. Tate's fight with Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....

 for the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship was rescheduled for Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Strikeforce / M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by Strikeforce. The event took place on July 30, 2011 at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.-Background:...

 on July 30, 2011. Tate defeated Coenen via submission (arm-triangle choke) to become the new Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion. “I think I’m not in reality quite yet,” Tate said shortly after winning the women’s bantamweight title. “I can’t believe that I have a belt to take home with me. I really had to dig deep those last couple rounds. Like I said, I had a tough end to my training camp, but I just feel like I went out there and I did what I needed to do and I won the fight and I’m world champion.”

Film

Tate is featured in the mixed martial arts documentary Fight Life
Fight Life
Fight Life is a feature length documentary on the sport of mixed martial arts. The film is directed by independent filmmaker James Z. Feng and produced by RiLL Films. The film focuses on the lives of professional mixed martial arts fighters outside the cage, primarily profiling Jake Shields, and...

, set for release in the summer of 2011. The film is directed by indie filmmaker James Z. Feng and produced by RiLL Films.

Mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

  • Strikeforce
    Strikeforce
    Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Zuffa, LLC...

    • Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship (One time; Current)
    • Strikeforce 2010 Women's Bantamweight Tournament Winner

Submission grappling

  • International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
    International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
    The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...

    • FILA
      International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
      The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...

       2008 Grappling World Championships Women's Senior No-Gi Silver Medalist

  • USA Wrestling
    USA Wrestling
    USA Wrestling is the organization that currently governs freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling in the United States...

    • FILA
      International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
      The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...

       USA World Team Trials Women's Senior No-Gi Runner-up (2009)
    • FILA
      International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
      The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...

       USA World Team Trials Women's Senior Gi Winner (2008)

Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...

  • Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
    Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
    The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of athletics and activities for secondary education schools in the state of Washington...

    • WIAA
      Washington Interscholastic Activities Association
      The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of athletics and activities for secondary education schools in the state of Washington...

       Girls Wrestling High School State Championship (2005)

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
| align="center" | 12-2
|   Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen
Marloes Coenen is a Dutch mixed martial artist. She has competed professionally since 2000 and is a former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion....


| Submission (arm-triangle choke)
| Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
Strikeforce / M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by Strikeforce. The event took place on July 30, 2011 at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.-Background:...


|
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3:03
|   Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 11–2
|   Hitomi Akano
Hitomi Akano
, is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. She uses a song she penned herself called "Between the Sky" as her entrance music.Akano is a former Smackgirl Middleweight Champion at 128 pounds...


| Decision (unanimous)
| Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The tenth Challengers episode took place on August 13, 2010, at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.-Background:...


|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 3:00
|   Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 10–2
|   Maiju Kujala
| Decision (unanimous)
| Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The tenth Challengers episode took place on August 13, 2010, at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.-Background:...


|
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 3:00
|   Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 9–2
|   Zoila Gurgel
| Submission (armbar)
| Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe
Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe
Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The seventh Challengers episode took place on March 26, 2010, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The event drew an estimated 316,000 viewers on Showtime.-Televised card:*Heavyweight bout: ...


|
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 4:09
|   Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 8–2
|   Valerie Coolbaugh
| Submission (armbar)
| Freestyle Cage Fighting 38
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 4:45
|   Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 7–2
|   Sarah Oriza
| KO (head kick)
| CageSport MMA
|
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0:08
|   Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...


|
|-
| Loss
| align="center" | 6–2
|   Sarah Kaufman
| Decision (unanimous)
| Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina
Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina
Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina was a mixed martial arts event held by the Strikeforce. The inaugural Strikeforce Challengers event took place on May 15, 2009 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.It was broadcast live on Showtime in the United States.-Televised...


|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 3:00
|   Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 6–1
|   Liz Carreiro
| Submission (shoulder choke)
| Freestyle Cage Fighting 30
|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 2:48
|   Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 5–1
|   Dora Baptiste
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Atlas Fights: USA vs. Brazil
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1:48
|   Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 4–1
|   Jessica Bednark
| TKO (punches)
| Freestyle Cage Fighting 27
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 1:22
|   Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 3–1
|   Jamie Lynn Welsh
| TKO (punches)
| CageSport MMA
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 2:21
|   Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 2–1
|   Elaina Maxwell
| Decision (unanimous)
| Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Strikeforce. The event took place at the HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose, California on Friday, June 27, 2008. The main event was the long awaited match between lightweights Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson for the...


|
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 3:00
|   San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...


|
|-
| Loss
| align="center" | 1–1
|   Kaitlin Young
Kaitlin Young
Kaitlin R. Young is an American female mixed martial artist. She competed in the bantamweight division for EliteXC.Young is currently the #10-ranked 135-pound female fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings....


| KO (head kick)
| HOOKnSHOOT: BodogFIGHT 2007 Women's Tournament
|
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0:30
|   Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...


|
|-
| Win
| align="center" | 1–0
|   Jan Finney
Jan Finney
Jan Finney is an American female mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the 135-pound bantamweight division.-Mixed martial arts career:...


| Decision (referee decision)
| HOOKnSHOOT: BodogFIGHT 2007 Women's Tournament
|
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3:00
|   Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...


|

External links

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