MMAOpinion talks to Strikeforce Contender Miesha Tate

After a sick armbar win at Strikeforce: Challengers’ Series, veteran Miesha Tate (9-2 MMA, #7 IWMMAR) has put together her third straight finish and is in a position of serious contention for the Strikeforce bantamweight title. While perhaps not the top contender, Tate is a threat to any and all of the 135 pounders in that division.I talked to her to get her thoughts on her big win and what’s next for her.

Josh Stein: You’re coming off of a big win over Zoila Frausto in Strikeforce. How does that feel?

Miesha Tate: I just feel like I’m on this endless high on life. I’m very happy with my performance and I’m just looking forward to what’s coming next.

JS: So who is next on your radar? Is there anyone you particularly want to fight?

MT: I don’t really have anyone on my radar. Whoever Strikeforce asks me to fight, I’ll fight.

JS: There was a lot of talk leading up to the fight with Zoila, but you both seemed pretty civil after the fight. You feel like you left the beef in the cage?

MT: Usually I don’t have that feeling going into the fight, so it’s kind of a different experience for me. But we squashed it in the cage, and I said none of it was going to matter after Friday.

JS: Did that fight go pretty much the way you planned it?

MT: Yeah, you know. I wanted to use my striking to basically set up a shot. I felt like the more I stood with her, the more it would benefit her. I felt pretty comfortable with her on the feet, but she landed a few good shots, so I did what I planned to do, which was throw a few punches and shoot in.

JS: You’ve taken some fights between bouts, which is usually a big deal in many organizations, and you hold a title belt for Freestyle Cage Fighting. Are you signed exclusively to Strikeforce?

MT: Right now, I’m just signed to Strikeforce, but they’re really cool about letting me fight for other organizations. They’re really cool about keeping me busy.

JS: It seems like Strikeforce seems pretty intent on setting you up primarily against Strikers. First Elaina Maxwell, then Sarah Kaufman and, obviously, Zoila Frausto. Do you like that kind of matchup? Or do you not think of it that way?

MT: I love that matchup, I think it’s a really good one for me. I feel like Strikeforce started from a kickboxing standpoint, so they still kind of favor the strikers, and they have a lot more strikers. I feel like I’m pretty well rounded, though. I think I bring something a little bit new and different to the table. Hopefully I’ll get another fight with Kaufman and use the five-minute rounds and we’ll see where that takes me.

JS: Do you like 5 minutes better?

MT: Yeah, I feel like I have more time to implement a ground style. Three minutes is kind of a disadvantage for someone who wants to work on the ground. I mean, I got the submission on Zoila at 4:09 of the second right, which means if it had been three-minute rounds, it would’ve definitely gone to a decision, which is kind of lame.

JS: How do you feel about fighting Sarah Kaufman again?

MT: I feel like I’m ready as a fighter. I feel like I’m ready to fight her, but I feel like, looking at the big picture, I feel like I still have some proving to do. I’m still working my way up the rankings. I think I need one or two more fights to really prove I deserve a second shot. There are a lot of girls who really deserve shots. Roxanne Modafferi is definitely in that conversation. But if Strikeforce asked me to fight Sarah Kaufman tomorrow, I’d definitely say yes.

JS: You mentioned Roxanne Modafferi, who actually fought recently at 145. Have you thought about fighting either up or down a weightclass?

MT: If I had to do one or the other, I’d drop to 125, not go up to the 145. I don’t think 126 would be too hard, so I don’t think that it’d be too tough to go down, but those girls at 145, Cyborg and Gina, are pretty big and being a wrestler, I’m much more comfortable cutting down.

JS: There has been some talk about Strikeforce potentially starting a 125 pound division. Would you be up for fighting in that if it happened?

MT: Yeah I would be.

JS: How long are you off before you start training?

MT: I’m in Vegas and I’ll be in Vegas until the six or seventh, leisurely training at Wanderlei’s, then I’ll head back to Washington and work on getting back in the groove.

JS: Any shout outs or other things you want to talk about?

MT: I think that’s about it. I just want to say thank you to my family and my friends and my fans. I had an awesome corner for this fight. Brian Caraway, Jesse martin and Rick Little. And I have to say thank you to Brian for helping with my wrestling, and I felt like it was second nature just drilling it every day. So much of my success I owe to my trainers.

Good luck to Miesha with whatever is next for her and thanks for the interview.