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Miesha Tate fine fighting Rin Nakai on her turf because of respectful Japanese fans
Sep 16, 2014 - 12:30:42 PM
Miesha Tate fine fighting Rin Nakai on her turf because of respectful Japanese fans
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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Miesha Tate fights Rin Nakai this Friday in Japan, hoping to put together a better performance than she did in a decision win over Liz Carmouche in April.

The former Strikeforce Champ and UFC title challenger knows she's going into enemy territory against an opponent with whom fans may not be familiar, but she thinks it being in Japan makes that part of things work just fine.

"If I was ever going to fight anyone on their own turf it would be in Japan because the fans are extremely respectful, and even if you beat one of their own they won't hold it against you," Tate said in an interview with UFC.com. "The fans look at it as a respect thing. They respect that I'm coming from the U.S. to Japan to fight for them, and they respect both fighters who are willing to step into the ring and put on a great performance for them. Even though Rin is from Japan, I feel like I have a strong fan base over there. I've been there a few times and I've been very well received there. The true MMA fans who have been following the sport for a while will know who I am, and it's comforting to know I won't be just some unknown enemy.”

Additionally, while she believes Nakai is a tough opponent, she feels she's got the big-fight experience edge into their matchup.

"Being in there with Ronda, she's on a whole other level. That experience has been invaluable because of the things I've learned from fighting with her, so I feel like nobody has judo that I should be afraid of," Tate said. "It gives me confidence that she hasn't fought the level of competition I have.

"It's not really fair to Rin because she has a stellar record and is undefeated. But it is the reality that she's not very well known, and if I beat her the majority of fans will say 'who?' Meanwhile, if she beats me, people will think 'Wow, she came out of nowhere.' It's kind of a rough way to look at it but it is what it is. How many times has Ronda had to fight someone who doesn't bring much to the table in terms of a win? It's just the position you're in when you're the top dogs in the sport."

Penick's Analysis: There is something to be said for the experience of fighting on a bigger stage than her opponent, but she's in unfamiliar territory this weekend against Nakai, as far as dealing with the jet lag issue is concerned. And while Nakai has a lot of experience, she also hasn't fought anyone at the level of those Tate's been in the cage with. This is a massively important fight for Tate to keep herself relevant and to keep any hopes of a third Rousey fight alive.


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