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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
This Saturday on FX, Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano will fight in just the second women's bout in UFC history. The two will not only hold that distinction, they'll also be competing for a chance to be one-half of the first women's coaches on The Ultimate Fighter opposite Ronda Rousey later this year.
Heading into the card, the experience advantage leans heavily in Tate's favor. As the former Strikeforce Women's Champion, she's fought a lot of major names in women's MMA thus far, and she thinks her time on bigger stages gives her a big edge over Zingano into Saturday night.
"I've fought the best in the world," said Tate in an interview with BleacherReport.com. "I've fought Sarah Kaufman, I've fought Marloes Coenen, I've fought Ronda, I've fought some really top-quality opponents. I know what it feels like to be on a big stage. I know what it feels like to be in there with top-five ranked women in the world. Those are things I can honestly say looking at Cat's record and her history, she doesn't have going for her."
"I don't think she's fought anyone in the top 10 at all at 135. She's never fought on the big stage. I think it's going to be a disadvantage. It's going to be quite a shock for her."
On top of that edge, Tate simply sees this fight, and the opportunity to be a part of the Ultimate Fighter, as something she can't let slip through her fingers. She feels wholly prepared to win the fight on Saturday, and doesn't see herself giving that chance away.
"That kind of opportunity is once in a lifetime I feel like," Tate said. "It's just one of those things that maybe when I first started my career I didn't see as a possibility, but as things sort of unraveled as I've just kind of kept chipping away at this big dream it just gets bigger and more grand and more awesome.
"There's no way in hell I'm going to let Cat Zingano take that away from me because it's mine. I know this is my destiny. I just know I'm the one that's supposed to be coaching opposite Ronda. I just know we're perfect for TV. I think we'll both make great coaches. I can just feel it in my heart this is mine for the taking."
Penick's Analysis: The experience factor could be a major edge in Tate's favor. They both may have the "Octagon jitters" for their first time in the UFC, but Tate's experienced the media frenzy before, and she's experienced as much of a "big fight feel" as any women's fighter had prior to Rousey and Liz Carmouche's UFC debut. That very well could be the difference when all is said and done in this fight.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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