Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Strikeforce Fights

9. Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate | March 3, 2012

The first meeting between Rousey and Tate was a huge milestone in the development of WMMA. While it wasn't the first big main event featuring female fighters, with that honor going to another Strikeforce headliner, Gina Carano vs. Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (which also received votes) it was a more significant battle in the annals of elite WMMA fighters. Both Rousey and Tate would later become UFC bantamweight champions, and Rousey in particular would go down as not only one of the greatest female fighters ever, but by far its biggest star, drawing massive attention and pay-per-view buys at her peak. When they fought for the first time in 2012, Tate was the reigning Strikeforce bantamweight champion with an impressive record of 12-2, having just won the title from Marloes Coenen via submission. She herself was a star, though her drawing power paled when compared to Rousey, who was already becoming a sensation with her Olympic bronze medal judo pedigree and after winning her first four pro fights by armbar in 49 seconds or less. Nor were here opponents all slouches, as one of those early victims was Julia Budd, arguably a top 10 all-time WMMA champion herself. The scrap between Rousey and Tate was entertaining though straightforward. Tate lasted a lot longer than 49 seconds, but it was still over before the opening round ended, with Rousey easily dominating Tate with superior strength, athleticism, and grappling skill, just as she would all other foes for the next few years. She capped it off with a brutal armbar that pulled Tate's elbow into a sickening, unnatural angle. This was the biggest WMMA fight of its time and a huge steppingstone for Rousey's later popularity.

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