Rousey: Fighting Tate ‘fated to happen’

Miesha Tate:

“It’s unfortunate for Kat – her injury. But the UFC is all about opportunities. I was so stoked when I heard I was going to get the potential spot, to coach. Not only coach against Ronda, and our rivalry I thinks makes for better TV. And I get to fight her again. So I’m stoked all around.”

Ronda Rousey:

“I’ve always respected Miesha as a fighter, and I’ve always respected her as an athlete. How we feel personally has nothing to do with that. I’ve said it wthin the same sentence ‘I think she’s totally legit, but I don’t really feel bad about hitting her.’ “

Miesah Tate:

“Ronda obviously is a phenomenal fighter. She’s undefeated. As a person, I don’t think she is quite as stellar.”

Ronda Rousey:

“It’s going to be really interesting for the fans that have been keeping up with me and Miesha’s rivalry up to this point. And it’ll be really exciting for people learning of it for the first time.”

“I’m actually honored to be coaching opposite to her on the show. I think this is really what was fated to happen. And I’m really lucky to have a rival like her – if I didn’t have her, around I would suffer.”

Miesha Tate:

“I’m right on her heels. I want what she has. I want the UFC belt. I want to win the show. I want my team to win the show. I want to be able to say that, at the end of the day – look her in the face, and know I beat Ronda Rousey.”

Now UFC president Dana White has officially revealed Miesha Tate as the new TUF coach:

Rousey previously likened the rivarly to Ali-Frazier.

“This is what we really wanted all along,” said Rousey. “Everyone said an Ultimate Fighter between me and Miesha would be the best. We have a personal history with each other and this is a personal show. For some reason, I me and Miesha are intertwined in fate like Ali and Frazier or something like that.

“I think people will look back at this as one of monumental rivalries and look back at this as one of those things that really cemented women’s MMA.”