FWW: Hi this is Rich Serpa from FightsWeWant.com and we are here today with the Strikeforce # 1 Welterweight contender Miesha Tate. Miesha, thank you for joining us?
MT: Thank you for having me.
FWW: Miesha, this past August you competed in Strikeforce’s 135-pound women's one night tournament and in doing so defeated Maiju Kujala by Unanimous Decision after two rounds to advance to the tournament final, then defeated Hitomi Akano also by Unanimous Decision after three rounds to become Strikeforce Women's Welterweight Tournament Champion. Based on a poll that Strikeforce ran that night as well as a lot of the fan feedback on the various MMA internet sites, the tournament format is clearly very popular. From a fighter’s standpoint in terms of preparation and strategy, talk a little bit about that experience.
MT: Yes, personally from a fighter’s standpoint I am not a fan of tournaments because they are just really stressful and it’s hard to prepare. Usually when you are fighting one person you can kind of prepare for them but in a tournament you really don’t know who you’re going to face so you have to prepare…which I guess I mean I guess that is good your always preparing to be the best yourself. But it’s that roller coaster effect that you really have to try and keep your mind in the game after your first fight if you won. You have to not let yourself come back down. You have to kind of stay even and it takes a lot of mental focus. It is kind of tough but you know, I felt like I did pretty well with it and I know that the fans really enjoy it.
FWW: Right, well certainly in a 4 person tournament you have to train to fight all 3 fighters.
MT: Exactly, yes, I did. And I had to be prepared to fight any of them because you really didn’t know who …and also we really didn’t know who we were matching up with first, until the night of weigh ins. It could have been anyone.
MT: Thank you for having me.
FWW: Miesha, this past August you competed in Strikeforce’s 135-pound women's one night tournament and in doing so defeated Maiju Kujala by Unanimous Decision after two rounds to advance to the tournament final, then defeated Hitomi Akano also by Unanimous Decision after three rounds to become Strikeforce Women's Welterweight Tournament Champion. Based on a poll that Strikeforce ran that night as well as a lot of the fan feedback on the various MMA internet sites, the tournament format is clearly very popular. From a fighter’s standpoint in terms of preparation and strategy, talk a little bit about that experience.
MT: Yes, personally from a fighter’s standpoint I am not a fan of tournaments because they are just really stressful and it’s hard to prepare. Usually when you are fighting one person you can kind of prepare for them but in a tournament you really don’t know who you’re going to face so you have to prepare…which I guess I mean I guess that is good your always preparing to be the best yourself. But it’s that roller coaster effect that you really have to try and keep your mind in the game after your first fight if you won. You have to not let yourself come back down. You have to kind of stay even and it takes a lot of mental focus. It is kind of tough but you know, I felt like I did pretty well with it and I know that the fans really enjoy it.
FWW: Right, well certainly in a 4 person tournament you have to train to fight all 3 fighters.
MT: Exactly, yes, I did. And I had to be prepared to fight any of them because you really didn’t know who …and also we really didn’t know who we were matching up with first, until the night of weigh ins. It could have been anyone.
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