Fighting For More Than A Belt

By Raphael Garcia

While they were both fighting for the right to be called champion, Miesha Tate and Marloes Coenen were also fighting for something much larger than either of them. While it may be unfair, the shaky future of women’s MMA on the biggest stages needed a strong bout from these two women, and at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson, they both delivered.



Using her stout wrestling background to control the fight, Tate dominated a match that was mostly contested on the ground. She utilized effective head movement and striking to close the distance, and was able to wrestle her opponent to the ground, where she was able to overpower Coenen, who was forced to fight from her back, a place where she has proven to be very deadly from in the past. The entire second round was a ground grappling showcase, one that featured Tate in a dangerous spot when the defending champion took her back during a botched takedown attempt.

In the fourth round, however, Tate was able to secure another takedown in the battle, and used the positioning to finish the fight. Passing to side mount, she used the opportunity to lock in a head and arm triangle choke to coax the submission. With 24 fights under her belt, this was the first time that Coenen has ever been submitted.

The uphill battle that women’s MMA faces has been well-documented since the Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce. Leaders in key positions of the organization feel that women’s fighting does not have the depth of talent to fill suitable divisions within the UFC. Strikeforce has been the main stage for women’s fighters, and has helped grow the popularity of individuals such as Cristiane Santos, Sarah Kauffman, and Gina Carano. With that organization’s time clock slowly ticking away, the female fighters of the world are almost powerless to help shape their future. Or so it may seem.

I for one was impressed by the fight between Tate and Coenen. It was a fight of strategy, as the wrestler had to find ways to avoid the submission artist’s techniques. I enjoyed watching both individuals present execute their respective game plans while not falling into the “lay and pray” trap that often beleaguers these types of matchups. With this victory, Tate has the potential to become the spokesperson for women’s MMA, a space that many people wanted Carano to fill before she exited the cage. However, the newest champion from the Team Alpha Male camp has a lot of work ahead of her if she plans on successfully playing that part.

The Tate-Coenen matchup spoke volumes about the potential that women’s MMA possesses. Hopefully fight fans will be able to look past the physical attractiveness of these and other female fighters, and begin to take them seriously as athletes. When placed on the right cards and into the right matchups, female MMA fighters have the ability to create just as much excitement as the men. The question remains, though, whether the UFC will give them the opportunity to prove it.