Olympic bronze medalist Ronda Rousey (4-0) may have gained the most hype of any female fighter in 2011, but Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate (12-2) definitely thinks she hasn’t done enough just yet to deserve a title shot, according to an interview with FightHubTV.
“I would have no problem fighting her,” said Tate, who only fought once in 2011, submitting Marloes Coenen to win the title. “My only qualm with her is she is 4-0, 2-0 for Strikeforce. She’s challenging in a weight division she hasn’t competed in yet, and I just don’t think at 4-0, she has earned her title shot. She hasn’t beaten any top contenders in the weight class.”
With most of Rousey’s fights coming at or around 145 pounds, she has decided to move down in weight where Tate and other standout female fighters currently compete at. The most notable female champion is Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, but Rousey hasn’t expressed much interest in staying in that weight class and fighting her at the moment.
“I don’t know (Rousey) on a personal level to really say, but some of the things she said have kind of rubbed me wrong,” Tate continued. “I think sometimes she comes off a little ignorant or a little bit arrogant. Maybe she is just trying to promote herself, I don’t know.”
All of Rousey’s professional victories have come via armbar and in the very first minute. Her three amateur fights also ended by armbar in the first minute of each fight.
Tate is currently riding a six-fight win streak, including wins over Coenen, Hitomi Akano and Maiju Kujala.
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