Two losses and one horribly dislocated elbow just aren’t enough for Miesha Tate.
While some may take some solace in a chief rival being named ‘The most dominant athlete in sports,’ Tate isn’t giving an edge to UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
In Manila promoting this weekend’s UFC event headlined by Frankie Edgar and Urijah Faber, Tate says Rousey’s 2008 Olympic bronze medal in Judo could have used a little more gold.
“I don’t know if that’s an accurate statement,” Tate said of Rousey’s Sports Illustrated honor. “I think there are a lot of athletes in the world. Maybe someone who took a gold medal at the Olympics could be considered more ‘dominant’, you know?”
Compliments and well wishes typically don’t follow days when someone says you’ve ‘made a career’ out of being beaten by that someone, today being no different.
“In different sports it’s hard to compare because we have a fighting sport, versus someone who maybe does swimming or something,” said Tate. “An athlete is still an athlete so it’s hard to compare the apples and the oranges because they’re different things, so I don’t know if I agree entirely on that.”
Tate faces Jessica Eye in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 16 on July 25 in Chicago, Illinois, while Rousey defends her title to Bethe Correia Aug. 1 at UFC 190 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
MMA Beat. The panel discusses the build for Edgar vs. Faber, the fallout from the Reebok compensation terms announcement, Ronda Rousey’s special week, and much more.
Awful. Ex-UFC lightweight Corey Hill is ‘fighting for his life’ in a Florida hospital.
Rough. Bellator middleweight champion Brandon Halsey will be stripped of his belt after missing weight before his title bout against Kendall Grove at Bellator 137.
Sorry, Brazil. Lyoto Machida vs. Yoel Romero will serve as the new main event for the TUF Brazil 4 Finale, which is being moved from Brazil to Miami, Florida.
Return of ‘Donkey Kong.’ Mark Munoz says he’s happy his MMA ‘journey’ will end this weekend in ‘the place it all started.’
MEDIA STEW
Media day highlights from Manila.
I guess just disregard the title talk.
Ronda Rousey says Dana White is the king of the trolls.
Quick media scrum with Faber.
Tour the MacMansion.
TTTHS.
Long watches.
Bellator MMA: Official Halsey vs Grove Weigh-Ins
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The MMA Road Show with John Morgan – Episode 7 – Manila
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WSOF President Ray Sefo talks fighting Mark Hunt, Melvin Guillard leaving, UFC Reebok, Jon Jones
TWEETS
Yikes.
Part 1: I’m embarrassed about the weight. I want to apologize to everyone. Including my opponent, @kendallgrovemma.
— Brandon Halsey (@BrandBullHalsey) May 15, 2015
Part 2: I didn’t lose 47 out of 50 pounds for nothing. You didn’t follow me this long for nothing. Tomorrow we fight. @spike @BellatorMMA
— Brandon Halsey (@BrandBullHalsey) May 15, 2015
Congrats.
Oss!! just realized I hit 1m on Twitter and 2m like a day apart – insta-words cannot describe… https://t.co/ezRXeZm0qe
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) May 14, 2015
Seat-ing ?? Angel Dust #Deadpool http://t.co/WZ1yleNpjU
— Gina Carano (@ginacarano) May 14, 2015
First day back kicking and it feels good! Little help from wearing @cowboycerrone old fight shorts!… https://t.co/50ZTROkk3X
— Paul Felder (@felderpaul) May 14, 2015
I am officially a citizen of this beautiful country. USA!! https://t.co/r4AouApdod pic.twitter.com/hWn9EaiXGT
— Edgar Garcia (@EdgarGarcia170) May 14, 2015
Beef.
I HOPE @UFC DRUG TESTING IS IN EFFECT by then 😉 Right @GeorgesStPierre @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/nW0haVT4Yy
— Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) May 14, 2015
I’m hoping they allow you to do steroids just make this a competitive fight. Gravy injections haven’t worked for you https://t.co/6HX91Ykcte
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 14, 2015
@philbaroni Yawn. Well I hope this comment brings you the attention your looking for. Btw its 3:22pm in Florida and your still a F’N COWARD
— Joe Schilling (@JoeSchilling187) May 14, 2015
Hey @ONEFCMMA looks like this guy is done being “injured” time to fight again? pic.twitter.com/AUijlRvIqe
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) May 14, 2015
Indeed.
Sad to here about Corey Hill Help Corey Hills family ‘. Please tap to donate: http://t.co/y8b0CinzXX
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 14, 2015
FYI.
No I’m not over looking anyone, I’m here to fight my ass off. Yes I’m going to play hard next week. And come Saturday night it’s ON
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 14, 2015
Looking slender.
Finishing up last night’s airdyne bike workout. It’s crazy to think I only have a few hard workout… https://t.co/cPWqN3W0ms
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) May 14, 2015
Get well soon.
#rehabilitation every day in Vegas, after 30 days I begin run. I come back soon guys ?…. https://t.co/ZndpFJdkWv
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) May 14, 2015
Tired after a good day of rehab and training! https://t.co/MGf1PSM7bS
— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) May 12, 2015
Antibiotics are in the system!
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) May 14, 2015
This cold is tryna’ blow out my immune system’s knee.
— Jake Ellenberger (@EllenbergerMMA) May 15, 2015
Judo.
Great judo training! Thanks @aestrazulasmma and Coach Israel Hernandez #criscyborg #invictafc13 #wmma… https://t.co/J0gw0SZhDk
— Cris Cyborg (@criscyborg) May 14, 2015
This Week in Struggle.
Lost, resigned contract after loss, reebok, got denied a last min fight, drove car into garage w/3 bikes on the roof…The streak ends today
— Patrick Cummins (@OfficialDurkin) May 9, 2015
You ever get hungry but you don’t wanna go get food so you just lay in bed and accept death?
— Andre Fili (@TouchyFili) May 11, 2015
I want to maintain my weight. I also want ice cream. #thestruggle
— Roxanne Modafferi (@Roxyfighter) May 10, 2015
“fans” wanna keep watching the sport of mma yet every chance they get they bash the fighters making them want to never fight again
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) May 12, 2015
You’d be upset too if you made 30k working for McDonalds and a mfer at Burger King makes 150k. #Comfortable #JustSaying #MMAandBoxing
— Kevin Lee (@MoTownPhenom) May 12, 2015
Media day at London. My new boyfriend. Przemek dont be mad at me 😉 @ufc #london #ufc #UFC… http://t.co/bfgNBc3XzS pic.twitter.com/usZT83KsA4
— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) May 13, 2015
This is how you destroy a $20k drone. #idiot #BigDumbAnimal #shrek #BullinAchinaShop #moron https://t.co/C7gajiyBQ3
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) May 13, 2015
I motioned for my dog to come sit in my lap, and somehow slapped myself in the nuts….
— russell doane (@RussellDoane135) May 14, 2015
New ink problems https://t.co/Rh1b0IDGso pic.twitter.com/9Hk6pE4Rhz
— Ross Pearson (@RossTheRealDeal) May 14, 2015
Nothing erks me more then a company saying you endorse them when you don’t smh no body works for free #justsaying
— Truck Gordon (@TruckMMA_UFC) May 14, 2015
Seeing shit like this breaks my heart 1-3 and in the UFC really smh i hope that’s a typo and he is… https://t.co/m2egTWsvjz
— Terrion Flash Ware (@flashmma) May 14, 2015
Even Macho Madness struggled with some of life’s toughest questions. You can’t have all the answers,… https://t.co/flMsuJrPcm
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 13, 2015
Hiding in the DJ booth in a Philippines club cause people think I’m from boy zone!?! Who and wtf is that?
— Sean Shelby (@seanshelby) May 14, 2015
Apparently I knocked out.. Not sure if it’s the 15 hour time difference, training w/ @luke… https://t.co/KsUPwjcWqL pic.twitter.com/zdLwNVogTC
— Phil Davis (@PhilMrWonderful) May 14, 2015
FAIRTEX big sponsor thank you for believing in me when many turned their backs pic.twitter.com/qmuscp9uQD
— Anderson Silva (@SpiderAnderson) May 14, 2015
Love game of thrones, but my god, winters been coming for 5 years. Come on with the white walkers already.
— michael (@bisping) May 11, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (May 14 2015)
Lyoto Machida vs. Yoel Romero at The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4 Finale
Christos Giagos vs. Chris Wade at UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via SecondhandMMA.
As a fan of Japanese mixed martial arts, I will every now and again go back and watch old Pride and Pancrase events to get my fix of nostalgia. Even with the dearth of large scale Japanese promotions, there are still several local fight promotions that are harvesting intriguing homegrown talent, and putting together reasonably marketable fights. Understanding that these are fighters who are on the up, or regional journeymen searching for validation, we can temper our expectations for what we can expect. That said, what we can expect are some intriguing fights from Japanese promotions who are doing their darnedest to put on quality for hardcore MMA fans. So, here are a few fights worth checking out in the near future.
Event: Deep 72 Impact
Date: May 16, 2015
Takafumi Otsuka (18-13-1) vs. Toshiaki Kitada (18-7-4)
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Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.