Miesha Tate

So I looked so forward to wrestling season every year. I would have done it year round without question had that been an opportunity for me, but it wasn't. And no, there was literally no point that I ever wanted to quit wrestling. I would never miss practices. I mean, I lived for it. It was the thing that made me feel alive.

So I looked so forward to wrestling season every year. I would have done it year round without question had that been an opportunity for me, but it wasn't. And no, there was literally no point that I ever wanted to quit wrestling. I would never miss practices. I mean, I lived for it. It was the thing that made me feel alive.

Well, my mom was the first person that I talked to about it. I said, Mom, what do you think if I go out for wrestling? And she kind of paused and was like, you really want to do that? And I was like, yeah, I mean, I think so. I want to try. Can I? And she was like, well, I don't think you're going to like it. And I, I'm not going to tell you that you can't try it though.

Well, my mom was the first person that I talked to about it. I said, Mom, what do you think if I go out for wrestling? And she kind of paused and was like, you really want to do that? And I was like, yeah, I mean, I think so. I want to try. Can I? And she was like, well, I don't think you're going to like it. And I, I'm not going to tell you that you can't try it though.

So she said, you know, go ahead. And my grandmother, my mom kind of came from this headstrong family. you know, pro women in a healthy way. Um, I'm not going to tell you that there's nothing you can't do if guys can do it, you know, they're doing it, then you should have the opportunity to do it too.

So she said, you know, go ahead. And my grandmother, my mom kind of came from this headstrong family. you know, pro women in a healthy way. Um, I'm not going to tell you that there's nothing you can't do if guys can do it, you know, they're doing it, then you should have the opportunity to do it too.

So thankfully it was something that my mom did not withhold me from, or I would be on a totally different path right now. I would never probably have found the UFC. I don't think I would even know my own strength because nothing that I've ever done besides maybe birthing children, would test me in the ways that the world of sport has.

So thankfully it was something that my mom did not withhold me from, or I would be on a totally different path right now. I would never probably have found the UFC. I don't think I would even know my own strength because nothing that I've ever done besides maybe birthing children, would test me in the ways that the world of sport has.

And especially the way that hand-to-hand combat does with one other athlete, no team to rely on. I'm in that single moment of high pressure, injury prone, hand-to-hand combat. combat provides. It's unlike anything else in the world. And for those reasons, you know, I look at that and I'm so grateful that she didn't hold me back from that.

And especially the way that hand-to-hand combat does with one other athlete, no team to rely on. I'm in that single moment of high pressure, injury prone, hand-to-hand combat. combat provides. It's unlike anything else in the world. And for those reasons, you know, I look at that and I'm so grateful that she didn't hold me back from that.

And my dad, I don't remember when we told my dad, but it wasn't right away. That's for sure. So, yeah, we were able to kind of keep that from him for a little bit. And, you know, once he did find out, he was like, you're letting her what? She's doing what with who? And he wasn't very happy about it. He wasn't very stoked about it.

And my dad, I don't remember when we told my dad, but it wasn't right away. That's for sure. So, yeah, we were able to kind of keep that from him for a little bit. And, you know, once he did find out, he was like, you're letting her what? She's doing what with who? And he wasn't very happy about it. He wasn't very stoked about it.

But he also kind of threw his hands up in the air and was like, there's nothing I can do about it. Like my mom said, I can do it. He was kind of like, well, then whatever. But it wasn't something, honestly, I didn't ever feel supported about. by my dad doing wrestling. Like he even came to some of my post wrestling meets and maybe he showed up to a couple, couple matches.

But he also kind of threw his hands up in the air and was like, there's nothing I can do about it. Like my mom said, I can do it. He was kind of like, well, then whatever. But it wasn't something, honestly, I didn't ever feel supported about. by my dad doing wrestling. Like he even came to some of my post wrestling meets and maybe he showed up to a couple, couple matches.

But there was not really any excitement or support for what I was doing. And I, I do understand it because now that I'm a mother and, I can understand the inherent need for a parent to protect and especially from a father, a father and a daughter.

But there was not really any excitement or support for what I was doing. And I, I do understand it because now that I'm a mother and, I can understand the inherent need for a parent to protect and especially from a father, a father and a daughter.

That's kind of be one of the most God given instincts that there is, is for a father to protect daughter, for father to protect mother, for father to protect children in general. But I mean, especially his girls, you know, And I didn't realize how I was challenging that very notion at that time by going out and willingly putting myself at risk where he didn't really have any say.

That's kind of be one of the most God given instincts that there is, is for a father to protect daughter, for father to protect mother, for father to protect children in general. But I mean, especially his girls, you know, And I didn't realize how I was challenging that very notion at that time by going out and willingly putting myself at risk where he didn't really have any say.

I think it made me want to prove myself even more. If I'm being totally honest, I think I felt my dad's absence in all of that so heavily that I look back and realize I was sort of trying to become what I was missing. So I think... Although I do not consider my dad to be a weak man, not by any sense of the mean. My dad's former military.

I think it made me want to prove myself even more. If I'm being totally honest, I think I felt my dad's absence in all of that so heavily that I look back and realize I was sort of trying to become what I was missing. So I think... Although I do not consider my dad to be a weak man, not by any sense of the mean. My dad's former military.