Ten years ago, on this day, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate went up against each other in their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 168 in December 2013.
While Tate escaped two submission attempts in the first two rounds, Rousey ultimately won the fight via third-round submission to retain her bantamweight title. In the aftermath, ‘Rowdy’ infamously refused to shake her opponent’s hand.
Rousey and Tate shared one of the most fierce rivalries in MMA, and they are widely credited with bringing women’s mixed martial arts to the UFC. Their rivalry began at Strikeforce, where Rousey won the 135-pound title against ‘Cupcake’ at Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Tate in March 2012.
After the UFC absorbed fighters from the now-defunct promotion, Rousey was made the inaugural bantamweight champion, considering she held the title at Strikeforce. After defending her championship twice, she was booked against Tate for a second time after weeks of trash-talking and exchanging personal insults. As mentioned, ‘Rowdy’ successfully beat her rival again.
While their fight was undoubtedly an entertaining affair, what stuck out to fans was Rousey’s refusal to shake hands with Tate after winning the fight. Her unsporting attitude didn’t sit well with fans, with many slamming her for it.
After the MMA-based X handle, @MMAHistoryToday, reminded fans of the infamous incident that occurred ten years ago today, many flocked to the comments section to express their thoughts.
One fan wrote:
“That was a classless move.”
Another fan wrote:
“Rousey was always a b*tch and a poor sport. Took her losses worse than my little sisters too.”
When Ronda Rousey explained why she refused to shake Miesha Tate’s hand
After Ronda Rousey beat Miesha Tate for the second time and got her second win inside the octagon, her victory wasn’t celebrated by MMA fans as they did for her previous wins.
Her refusal to shake hands with Tate, despite their rivalry, was seen as a foul move that wasn’t fitting for a reigning UFC champion. In the aftermath of the fight, Ronda Rousey found herself getting booed by the crowd in attendance as she left the Las Vegas arena.
In a post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, ‘Rowdy’ explained her decision not to accept Tate’s extended hand. Revealing that she didn’t forgive ‘Cupcake’ for taking shots at her family in the build-up, Rousey said:
“My family is my coaches and my actual family… Everything between me and her, I totally understand. It’s part of the game, but once you cross that line, I can’t shake the hand of somebody who spits on my back.”
Catch Ronda Rousey’s comments below (1:25):
