Tate tries to explain, understand ‘strange’ Rin vids
“I really don’t know kind of a road or life she’s had to have to even get to this point, to be in the UFC. Maybe it’s what she thought was really necessary to be recognized.”
Japan and the US are not culturally identical countries.
American eyebrows raise at Japanese robot toilets, tiny hotel beds, and shokushu goukan (google it). It is of course a two-way street, and Japanese can be equally puzzled by American’s lack of toilet seat warmers, excessive food portions (and people), and the use of the English measuring system (pounds, feet of kings, etc) that even the English no longer use.
Into the cultural clash comes Rin Nakai. The UFC women’s bantanweight is a former Queen of Pancrase, and the organization’s Youtube channel has turned out a stream videos featuring Nakai that are sexually evocative, if for example big bugs crawling on scantily clad, muscular women is your thing.
Miesha Tate, who fights Nakai this week at UFC Fight Night 52 live on UFC Fight Pass, offered a thoughtful reflection on the controversial vids. While characterizing them as “unfortunate,” Tate expressed sympathy and understanding.
“It definitely differs from what my boundaries would be,” said Tate, as transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMAFighting. “However I think that it’s her best effort to get women’s mixed martial arts noticed over here. It’s probably her [attempt] at what I call the ‘something shiny effect.’ Hey, look at me, look at how attractive I am, this and that to get the men’s attention… and now watch me fight and see what a great fighter I am.”
“The girl is 16-0. She’s been beating people, she’s finishing people, and she’s been doing judo for a really long time, so I think [the UFC] feels like if she were to get through me, that they would have a great argument for a title shot. She’s 16-0, she also has a very strong judo background. No one has had that style match-up against the champion yet, so I think for them it’s a win-win. If I beat someone with a similar style to Rousey, and I do it well, then it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
“To get to 16 fights and beat everybody, never make a mistake, never get caught and never have an accident, that’s impressive. She’s flown under the radar a little bit, and I know her promotional videos are a little strange, but women’s mixed martial arts has never taken off in Japan. People don’t really care about it, and it’s sad because they produce some of the best women’s fighters. I think that was just her best efforts to try to get women’s mixed martial arts on the map in her home country, and who am I say? I don’t understand the cultural differences, and I really don’t know kind of a road or life she’s had to have to even get to this point, to be in the UFC. Maybe it’s what she thought was really necessary to be recognized.”
“She’s a dangerous opponent, definitely not someone I want to take lightly. But with that being said, she’s never fought anyone like me. And I really believe that.”
One thing the videos reveal is that like nearly every gym in Japan, in Nakai’s there is a ring, but no cage. When Nakai finds herself pressed up against the fence, it may be cultural difference that is truly difficult to overcome.
