Miesha Tate

Overview

Seven UFC wins, seven UFC losses, and nearly six years between her ninth and tenth UFC fights.

Miesha Tate, "Cupcake," fights at women's bantamweight out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Her UFC record is 7-7, with no contests. The stretch that defines her run is a five-fight win streak, her longest in the UFC, and she carries a loss into her next fight.

UFC Career

Tate debuted in the UFC in August 2012. Her first two listed UFC fights, in 2013, were losses: a third-round TKO to Cat Zingano at the TUF Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen Finale, then a third-round submission to Ronda Rousey at UFC 168.

Then came the run. Between April 2014 and March 2016 she won five straight, starting with decisions over Liz Carmouche and Rin Nakai. A majority decision over Sara McMann and a unanimous decision over Jessica Eye followed. The fifth was the one that mattered: a fifth-round submission of Holly Holm at UFC 196, in a five-round fight against an opponent our model rates as strong.

It ended fast. At UFC 200, Tate headlined against Amanda Nunes and lost by submission in the first round, at 3:16. She dropped a unanimous decision to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205 that November.

Then she was gone from the UFC schedule until July 2021, when she beat Marion Reneau by third-round TKO. The comeback produced the only knockout win of her UFC career.

What followed was mixed. She headlined against Ketlen Vieira in a five-round fight and lost a unanimous decision, then lost another unanimous decision to Lauren Murphy. A third-round submission of Julia Avila in December 2023 broke the skid. Her latest fight, in May 2025, was a unanimous decision loss to Yana Santos.

Seven fights since the return. Three wins, four losses.

Fighting Style

Tate is a grappler first. She doesn't pile up strikes, landing fewer per minute than most UFC fighters, but she's also hard to hit. Her takedown offense and takedown defense both stand out, and she hunts for submissions more than almost anyone, which is the defining trait of her profile.

The finish record fits that picture. Two of her three UFC finishes are submissions, and all three came late: round 3 for the TKO and one submission, round 5 for the other. None came in the first round.

Decisions decide most of her fights. Four of her seven wins and four of her seven losses went the distance.

Notable Wins

• Holly Holm — submission, round 5 (3:30), UFC 196 (2016)
• Julia Avila — submission, round 3 (1:15), UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan (2023)
• Marion Reneau — TKO, round 3 (1:53), UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Moises (2021)
• Sara McMann — majority decision, UFC 183 (2015)

Quick Facts

• Division: Women's Bantamweight
• UFC record: 7-7
• Professional record (all promotions): 20-10-0
• UFC debut: 2012
• Stance: Orthodox
• Reach: 65"
• Team: Xtreme Couture, Las Vegas, NV
• Born: Tacoma, United States