Miesha Tate. “I will say a prayer for the man who would think to steal my purse”:

"Mediamax Sport” continues "Sports Beauty of the Week” series.

Our hero of the week represents MMA. The UFC beauty has managed to break the chin and facial bones of many athletes… Besides, you should not be cheated by her angel face and her Cupcake sweet nickname.

Former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion Tate currently ranks the second in the UFC, and won a silver medal in the FILA Grappling Championships. She has had 18 MMA fights with 13 victories and 5 losses.

Miesha Tate is the main opponent of famous Ronda Rousey. She lost the previous two fights against Rousey, but longs to win in future.

Tate appeared nude in the 2013 ESPN Body Issue. Fitness Gurls magazine labeled Tate "the most beautiful woman in MMA."



-Lots of people consider MMA a rude and non-feminine sport. What exactly attracted you in MMA?

-I began collegiate wrestling at high school; I was the only female but I didn't know what MMA was at that time. Then I went to college and I found an MMA program at school, but I was very uneducated about the sport, because I had never watched the UFC or any fighting. I attended the program at college; I had it clear for me that I would never want to get hit in the face, so I decided to learn the jiu jitsu. But soon after, I actually watched a live MMA event and fell in love with it - it was beautiful and it inspired me. Then I decided to fight, and 3 weeks later I had my first fight.

-Which is the most exciting moment in your MMA career?

-When I won my world title in Strikeforce.

-Every athlete has sport idols. They inspire the athlete and make them move forward. Who are your idols in sports?



-Yes, Megumi Fujii, Bryan Caraway, Cindy Dandois, Julianna Peña, Ben Henderson, Fedor Emelianenko.

- MMA is a rude sport, and you can get serious injuries every moment. How do your family and friends react to your ring career?

-Yes, they worry but they support my decision because it makes me happy. But I know they will also rejoice on the day I retire from fighting!

-How do you prepare yourself mentally and physically before the fight?

-I just try to keep positive and focus on my goal, which is to win.

-What is the Top MMA goal for you?



-I would like to become the UFC world champion at one point but more importantly, I want to show the world that women can be women but also be strong and empowered. Also, I want to show that you don’t have to be mean to enjoy MMA and that you can be kind, loving and giving at the same time being successful in a tough sport like MMA. The U.S. offers more opportunities especially to women than any other country.

-The date of your next fight is already announced. Who is the opponent?

-My next fight is against Liz Carmouche in Orlando Florida on April 19th!

-You have had many significant fights. But the confrontation with Ronday Rousey is a big story. Is she your  toughest opponent?

-Yes, Ronda has a difficult style for me, but she does not punch very hard, so I think someone who punches harder would be tougher.

-“Fitness Gurls” magazine named you “the most beautiful woman in MMA”. How do you manage to look good when you have such a busy training schedule?



- I like to be strong and competitive just as much as I like to be a woman. So the balance of these two feelings is a nice combination. I like to do my hair and makeup, wear nice dresses, but I also like to punch people, so it is an interesting mixture most women do not have and therefore many admire those as beautiful qualities.

-I can't miss the chance to ask for some beauty tips for our female readers.

-Take some pride in youself and find something you are passionate about to do, because a happy, confident person is always more attractive.

-Is your MMA training regime too intense?

-I train twice a day - Monday to Friday, and once on Saturday. I train strength/conditioning in the morning, where I lift weights and do cardio exercises. Then later in the day I do MMA training where we switch between wrestling/jiu jitsu and striking. We work technique to start and then we go live.



 -Why do they call you “Cupcake” in ring?

-When I first started MMA, girls would look at me with my long hair and feminine qualities and they hated me for it. Some of them would call me out to fight because they thought I was a "cupcake" – in other words, an easy win for them. I used to hate it but now I think it is funny and I embrace the humor of it. That, and I love cupcakes myself, I love to bake. (Laughing).

-Which is the severest injury you suffered in the ring?

- Broken nose, torn elbows and knees.

-Which is the severest injury you caused in the ring?

I broke a girl’s orbital bone in her face right above her eye.

- Would you describe as an aggressive person?



- Not in daily life, but in the cage yes.

-Are there any stereotypes people have of you as a female MMA fighter?

-They say we want to be men, we are manly or we are not strong or technical.

-Are your modeling appearances a tool to break those stereotypes?

-Yes, my favorites are photo shoots for FIGHT!, ESPN the body issue and Fitness Gurls magazines.

-Do you think if the athlete has a beautiful body, they have to show it through photo shoots and prove people that a healthy lifestyle is a must?

-I don't think you must, but I think it is something to be proud of in a tasteful way. It is not something you should exploit everywhere but if it is a beautiful body someone has worked very hard for, then there are ways to portray it more like art and not so much in a sexual way.



-Miesha, have you ever used your fighting know-how to defend yourself outside of the ring?

- No, fortunately for me, but I will say a prayer for the man who would think to steal my purse. (laughing)

- Romantic life vs MMA career. Are these two compatible?

-I am dating Bryan Caraway who fights in the UFC as well, so we understand each other.
But even if I was single, I don’t think it would be a problem. The only men who would be intimidated are those who don’t feel man enough on their own.



-There are many Armenian MMA fighters in the USA. Do you know any of them?

- I only know Manny Gamburian. He is nice but he is with Ronda’s team, so we don't speak much. I have a great Armenian friend of mine. His name is Allen Babayan who owns part of "Shoot Media" and he was a body builder for awhile and also was the anchor for the sled racing!

-Miesha, Congratulations! You are named Mediamax Sport's "Sport Beauty of the week".

-Thank you so much for all of the support from Armenia! I appreciate that I have so many fans there! Sending my love to you!

Meisha Tate was interviewed by Narine Daneghyan.