[Cat--Smasher]

Miesha Tate Happy Ronda Rousey Is in the UFC But the Credit Belongs to All Women (Video) | MMAWeekly.com

“It’s not just Ronda, it’s not just myself, that’s for sure. If Ronda’s coming over to the UFC obviously there’s going to be a division around that, it’s not just Ronda. I know Ronda’s getting a lot of the credit and what not, but she didn’t have a lot to do with from the ground up,” Tate told MMAWeekly Radio after the news was announced.

“We’re at the top of the mountain now that’s kind of how I feel anyways, with this accomplishment coming into the UFC, we’ve kind of reached that final goal. But we had to start at the bottom and a lot of the pioneers Tara (LaRosa), Marloes (Coenen), Molly Helsel, the girls that were really fighting back in the day before we were making any kind of money, or there was any kind of publicity, or much acceptance of it.”

From Gina Carano’s emergence through Elite XC and then into Strikeforce, from Bodog Fights putting on some of the first mainstream women’s bouts all the way back to the women’s fights that took place in the Hook ‘N’ Shoot promotion, the women have been waiting for a moment like this forever and now it’s here.

“We were fighting for this, right here, right now. She’s getting a lot of the credit and the limelight, but people who follow the sport understand there was a lot more getting to this point. I hope people can recognize that and give all the women that have worked really hard some credit,” Tate stated.

As far as her own future goes, Tate hasn’t been told specifically about a UFC deal, or when she would make that transition, but with the conversations that she’s had, everything is looking very positive.

“I would love to be a part of the first women’s MMA fight in the UFC, but if I’m not I’m not going to focus on the negative. I’ve just been thinking about that a lot, my goal is to get into the UFC regardless and at this point I consider myself in the UFC,” said Tate.

“It’s happening, Dana’s made it very clear that it’s happening, and amongst personal talks with him and Sean (Shelby) and everyone I’m definitely pretty sure the UFC’s in my future.”

“Our rivalry is very real. I know a lot of people don’t believe that Ronda can’t be beaten, that’s she’s just untouchable, but I beg to differ,” Tate stated.

“If I do get that rematch in the UFC, it’s going to be one hell of a fight.”