Raquel Pennington earned a convincing decision victory over Miesha Tate tonight at UFC 205, and that was enough to convince Tate that it was time for her to hang up her gloves.
Round One:
Tate with the jab and then tries to work more punches, but Pennington looks to counter. Leg kick for Tate.
Another leg kick for Tate on the inside. Tate punching to the body. Pennington with a hook and a jab. Another jab for Pennington and a leg kick for Tate.
Another nice jab for Pennginton that seems to be taking a toll on Tate’s nose. Tate starting to press forward now perhaps looking for a takedown. Pennington with an uppercut. Tate walks her over to the other side of the cage and goes down looking for a takedown.
Pennington with a guillotine choke and cranks it so hard that Tate is off her feet! Tate frantically trying to get back to terra firma and is successful, but Pennington does the same thing again. This happens several times with Tate using the cage to get some traction and finally escapes and lands a takedown.
Tate in half-guard pressing her opponent into the cage, but Pennington is on her knees and able to stand. Tate trying to take her back now as they stand, while Pennington lands elbows to her thigh.
Pennington finally drops down to the mat with Tate still trying to work fully onto her back as the round ends.
Round two:
Tate reaching for a takedown but then decides against it. winging overhand misses for the former champ. Jab and a right hand for Pennington.
Tate trying to pump out the jab, but then Pennington lands hers with more more authority. Another few jabs land for her. Takedown attempt for Tate is stuffed. She is able to press Pennington to the cage though and she lands a couple of knees to the body.
She lands knees to the legs too as she tries to work for a takedown. One attempt fails, but she maintains the position, pushing Pennington against the cage.
Pennington gets a little space and lands a nice uppercut. Pennington manages to spin around and take Tate’s back. Tate manages to turn around again, but Pennington is landing shots to the head as she continues to push her against the cage.
Less than two minutes of the round remaining. Nice knees from Tate, but some body punches in return from Pennington. Now a knee to the body from her and one from Tate.
Tate reverses the position now as the clinch battle continues in the final minute of the round. Knee to the leg from both fighters.
Pennington back in dominant position now as Tate lands a few punches to the body and Pennington goes upstairs with some of her own.
Final seconds of the round and Pennington starts to tee off with punches, but Tate catches her opponent too.
Round Three:
Tate’s corner urging her to get busy in the final five minutes, let’s see if she heeds their advise.
Tate wades forward with punches and then tries for the takedown. It doesn’t work, but she then attempts to pull guard, hopping onto Pennington.
Eventually Pennington does go down and it’s not long before Tate throws up her legs looking for a potential armbar, then to the triangle choke, and then back to the armbar.
Pennington defending for now though and eventually manages to get free of her legs and ends up in north south position.
Tate attempts to use the cage to wall walk and then gets to her knees, then her feet. Pennington with a guillotine choke that prevents Tate from moving to an advantageous position.
Pennington on top, but Tate work a heel hook submission. She escapes that and lands a couple of kicks. Tate tries to burst forward from her knees, but Pennington sprawls on her.
Tate back up trying for the takedown, but Pennington manages to prevent that and press her to the cage.
Final minute of the round and the former champ has work to do if she wants to win this fight. Pennington with short punches to the face.
Pennington catches Tate off-guard with a takedown and starts landing ground and pound from half-guard. Big moment for Pennington to finish the round in a dominant position as we head to the scorecards.
Decision:
Great work from Pennington, showing the better striking and matching Tate in the grappling to emerge with a unanimous decision victory (29-28, 30-27 x2).
After the fight, Tate is given a chance to speak on the mic and she announces that after this loss she’s decided to retire from the sport!
She hangs up her gloves at the age of 30 with a 18-7 record, having previously achieved her dream of winning the woman’s bantamweight title earlier this year.
