UFC women’s bantamweight contender Miesha Tate is making the best of a bad situation.
After being adamant about not wanting to face someone looking to ‘grab a hold and take her to the ground,’ Tate has been booked to fight ground-and-pound specialist Sara McMann at UFC 183 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
With first choice Bethe Correia forced to turn down the bout due to an undisclosed injury, Tate now says a win over McMann better illustrates how she’s evolved as a fighter.
“[McMann] probably does more for my career fighting her, if I beat her,” Tate told FOX Sports. “She’s an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling. She’s really, really good. It says a lot beating someone of her caliber.”
With Tate at No. 2 and McMann at No. 3 the bout certainly makes more sense on paper, but ‘Cupcake’ isn’t losing sight of a showdown with Correia.
The Brazilian has more than lived up to her side of the beef, saying she’d ‘beat’ Tate in such a way that the UFC would be forced to award her a title shot against women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
“She keeps saying, ‘I’m on the rise, you’re on the decline,'” Tate said of Correia. “Well I’m ranked No. 2 and you’re still ranked No. 8. Hold your horses. You’re writing a lot of checks that your mouth [will] not be able to cash.”
Tate faces McMann Jan. 31 at UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz in Las Vegas, Nevada.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Timetable. Dana White says UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez needs to be active by March or he’ll be stripped of his title. ‘If Cain couldn’t compete again, the winner of this fight would be seen as the champion.’
‘Personal stuff.’ Mark Hunt opens up about receiving some bad news during fight week. ‘Yesterday, if you got the news I did, then you’d be freaking looking like I was.’
Scary. Fabricio Werdum recounts how he was two hours away from dying upon arriving in Mexico.
‘Not the champion.’ Cain Velasquez dismisses UFC 180’s interim title. ‘When I have my chance to fight, we’ll fight for the real one.’
A level vs. B level. Melvin Guillard and WSOF vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz aired some grievances on the media call promoting this weekend’s event. ‘Don’t let none of them fool you and think for one second that they’re never going to want to f**king jump ship and go to the UFC.’
MEDIA STEW
UFC 180 embedded episode 3.
UFC 180 media day highlights.
Cain Velasquez’ media scrum.
Bellator 131 pre-fight press conference and faceoffs.
Fight Network’s WSOF 15 preview of Yushin Okami vs. David Branch and Justin Gaethje vs. Melvin Guillard.
Remind yourself why you love MMA.
Long watches.
UFC 180, Bellator Tito vs Bonnar & WSOF Care/Don’t Care Preview
TWEETS
Caliente.
OK.
I’m not retiring. I will always be fighting in one form or another until the day I die. I just don’t know when I’m going to fight next.
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 14, 2014
Sports + Science.
Video: Working some sports science for Fox Sports with Daniel Cormier and a great bunch of… http://t.co/gFMtATix65
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 14, 2014
Get well soon.
Out of surgery, arguing with the nurses and doctors, and now headed home. pic.twitter.com/BAhSV7SpER
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 13, 2014
I’m off to surgery once again. Taking out the metal plate in my hand and cleaning up scar tissue. Pray for me please pic.twitter.com/xJ3JfD2FmG
— Michael McDonald (@MaydayMcDonald) November 13, 2014
Surgery went well! Not in as much pain as the others. Worst part is that it hurts to hold my phone so I can’t play Clash of Clans. Dang lol.
— Michael McDonald (@MaydayMcDonald) November 13, 2014
Been doing prolo therapy and my knee is healing really fast thank you for your prayers. I will be back ASAP….
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) November 14, 2014
Y’all please give me a follow on my Sqor page #TBT broke me hand last go U know I throw down every time! #UFCPhoenix pic.twitter.com/8JjWGeRV6M
— Ed Herman (@EdHermanufc) November 14, 2014
Cuttin’.
When being able to get some laughter out of cutting weight $$$ http://t.co/aSmHJrq6du
— Melvin Guillard (@Young__Assassin) November 14, 2014
This is what I do for a living. And it’s FUN! #Bellator131 Doing work! http://t.co/PoYr3IeUGn
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) November 14, 2014
Beefin’.
Gotta go through me first fatty… I’m saving a dance for you. http://t.co/2n7tSvnhxN pic.twitter.com/HzMGPPejnN
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) November 13, 2014
@HectorLombard I need an opponent for Jan 25 @FPLwrestling event. Since you alledgedly beat me at wrestling, are you willing to back it up?
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) November 13, 2014
@HectorLombard or are you just gonna keep talking?
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) November 13, 2014
@HectorLombard I will take your silence towards my challenge as you outright admitting that you lied about beating me.
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) November 13, 2014
Very cool.
Tonight I witnessed the sweetest thing from a Dad! Story: I had a private striking lesson with a 15 yr… http://t.co/pPkpoOjZKE
— Tecia Torres (@TeciaTorres) November 14, 2014
Got my father on the mitts for the first time today. We had a great time and he did great. pic.twitter.com/3JTCpmH0Y1
— Evan Dunham (@evandunham155) November 14, 2014
Dress up.
Lol I know @pinospizza is going to love this one. #tbt back to Newberry South Carolina at the Dukes of… http://t.co/hYfWzcagoq
— Corey Anderson UFC (@CoreyA_MMA) November 13, 2014
“@blrowland1: @ginacarano thanks for a fun shoot. Take care of the coin. pic.twitter.com/LaEx9TSps7” thank you very much Officer Rowland
— Gina Carano (@ginacarano) November 13, 2014
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Nov. 13 2014)
cancelled Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington at UFC 181
cancelled Corey Anderson vs. Gian Villante at UFC 181
Nico Musoke vs. Albert Tumenov at UFC on FOX 14
Yoel Romero vs. Ronaldo Souza at UFC 184
Brandon Thatch vs. Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night: Broomfield
Rafael Natal vs. Tom Watson at UFC 183
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via casey.harts.
The Schultz Brothers: The Beginning
Palo Alto wrestlers Mark (left) and Dave Schultz take a break during practice in 1984. Photo by Sam Forencich/Peninsula Times Tribune.
Dave and Mark Schultz, two brothers that changed wrestling and combat sports forever. Two of the most prolific freestyle wrestlers USA Wrestling and the world have ever seen. In a few short days the film Foxcatcher will release taking us back to a cold January day in 1996 that robbed the world of one of its best men. Instead, of rehashing the loss of Dave Schultz, this is a time to relive the Schultz brother’s great triumphs and journey through the wrestling world.
The two brothers won almost every accolade available to an amateur wrestler, their success is unprecedented and has never been reproduced. Their journey all began in Palo Alto High School in the 1970’s. Characterized as being nonathletic and unassuming in his formative years. Dave showed up to practice day in and day out ready to learn. Dave would grow leaps and bounds in these years, becoming a technician in finding his strengths. His brother Mark would float in and out doing a multitude of sports. Every sport he tried he would excel in, many describing him as a natural athlete taking to whatever he did. In high school Mark would even win a Northern California gymnastics title before committing fully to wrestling. Mark would end up being the violent pressure wrestler taking full advantage of his physical gifts to dominate his opponents in great contrast to the technical fox that was his brother.
…
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.