Miesha Tate seemed out of sorts in the early stages of her UFC On FOX 11 co-main event fight with Liz Carmouche and found herself being taken to the canvas often in the opening 10 minutes, but Carmouche’s lack of meaningful offense didn’t help her cause and a late rally from Tate helped her secure a decision win.
Round One:
We’re underway in the co-main event. Carmouche tries a low kick, but misses. An exchange of low leg kicks now.
Tate lands a punch as Carmouche tries a front kick. Another right hand from Tate. A little more striking from Tate and then Carmouche clinches up.
They go against the cage and it’s tate who spins her opponent around. Not for long though as Carmouche reverses her again and then lands a takedown.
Carmouche kind of stuck in this position. not really doing much with Tate sat up against the cage. Tate lands a few elbows down on her. The ref asks Carmouche for more action and she does come to life a little, but tate finds space and stands.
Carmouche still clinched to her back though and landing some knees to her leg. Carmouche gets another takedown now with a little more than a minute left in the round.
Tate back up again and trying to threaten with a kimura attempt as Carmouche stays locked to her back. Tate now elbowing her arm and Carmouche responds with knees to her leg and a punch to the head.
20 seconds to go and Tate tries for the kimura again, but Carmouche scores a takedown in response and ends the round on top.
Round Two:
Trading jabs to start. Tate with a left hand and then Carmouche charges in looking for a takedown against the cage. Tate tries to spin away, but Carmouche continues to embrace the grind.
Tate manages to reverse the situation and now it’s her turn to hunt for the takedown. Tate with a few knees to the legs and then as they move a little lands one to the knee as well.
Carmouche defends the takedown successfully though and they go back to the stand-up. Tate with a few punches that score before it’s back ot the clinch from Carmouche.
Hunting for another takedown now is Carmouche against the cage. She hoists Tate up and gets her down to the mat. Tate landing a few elbows then stands with carmouche still clinching. She sucks Tate’s legs out from under her again.
Very little work from Carmouche once she gets her opponent on the mat, but she is scoring points and controlling large portions of the fight.
Tate sinks in a guillotine attempt. Carmouche seems ok and Tate stands. For a moment it seems that Tate is going to let go of the attempt, but then she goes for it again while standing and eventually drops to the mat with it.
Carmouche seems ok though, but Tate’s still working for it. Carmouche gets out of it and upright, moving to Tate’s back and landing a takedown just as the round ends.
Round Three:
Carmouche lands a kick and Tate responds with a couple of good punches. Tate clinches up against the cage looking for a takedown. Carmouche lands a few elbows and Tate drags her to the mat.
Carmouche stands, but Tate pulls her back down and gets to side control close to the cage. Carmouche attempts to wall walk, but it doesn’t pay off.
Carmouche does manage to get back to half guard though. She takes Carmouche’s back and attempts to sink in a rear-naked choke. It’s a slightly awkward spot pressed up against the cage like this though.
Tate really working hard to sink that arm under Carmouche’s chin with less than two minutes left. A couple of puinches land to soften her up and momentarily she flattens her out, but then Carmouche stands.
Tate gets Carmouche back down and has finally sunk the choke in and it looks tight. She’s flattened out and in all sorts of trouble, but she manages to defend it and survive.
Tate still working hard though from a dominant position and with the choke not happening in the final stages of the round she thinks about an armbar attempt, but can’t get it and has to settle for ending the round very much in control.
Decision:
Tricky one one to call. Carmouche clearly had the better control and takedowns in the first two rounds, but rarely did anything of value offensively, whereas Tate threatened with that guillotine in the second, did better in the brief striking exchanges and clearly won the third.
So, it’s down to the judges and they appear to have valued Tate’s offense more, awarding her the unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
