So much has been made of how much Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate dislike each other. Not as much analysis has gone into how these two women match up inside the Octagon for their high-profile rematch at UFC 168 on Saturday.
Can Tate prevent herself from falling victim to Rousey’s armbar again? Is this the bout Rousey shows off her striking skills?
These questions won’t be answered until the two meet on Saturday night at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As the moment of truth approaches, here’s a statistical look at Rousey vs. Tate 2.
Tale of the Tape
Striking
Some may believe that Tate is the better striker of the two, but the numbers don’t support that concept. Rousey has landed more strikes per minute, has been more accurate and has absorbed fewer strikes in her career.
Considering this, it may not be all that risky for Rousey to spend a little time showing off her striking ability.
Takedowns
Without a doubt, the edge goes to Rousey in this area. She seeks the takedown more aggressively. She’s more successful with her attempts, and her defense against her opponent’s takedown attempts has been better.
Submissions
Rousey also excels in this category. All seven of her wins have come by submission—including her 2012 victory over Tate while both women were in Strikeforce. Tate does have six submission wins to her credit, but none of them has come against grapplers as experienced and skilled as Rousey.
Then again, there is no woman in the UFC as advanced as Rousey is on the ground.
The Bottom Line
It’s hard to see a scenario where Tate wins this fight. I know she’s been working on her submission defense, but the truth is that she picked up martial arts late compared to Rousey. The champion has been honing her skills since she was a child.
We’ve yet to see the woman who has the technical mastery or physical strength to defeat the UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
Rousey should win again by submission.
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