With 'Body Issue' news, Miesha Tate laughs off hypocrisy talk, stands by claims

One year after chastising UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) for a decision she feels was hypocritical, Miesha Tate (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is standing by her words. If you think that makes her a hypocrite, as well, Tate recommends you review her original claims.

“I never said it was hypocritical for Ronda to pose nude for ‘The Body Issue,’” Tate said. “I said it was hypocritical for her to talk crap about the octagon girls posing nude in Playboy and then go pose nude for ESPN. That was my only qualm.

“I feel like people will hear what they want to hear, but honestly, I had no issue with her being in ‘The Body Issue.’ I thought it was a great issue. I thought the photos were very nice and tastefully done, as ESPN always strives for.”

Rousey, of course, was featured in the 2012 edition of the annual ESPN the Magazine special edition several months after criticizing UFC octagon girls such as Brittney Palmer and Arianny Celeste for appearing completely nude in Playboy. While athletes in ‘The Body Issue’ do pose nude, sporting equipment and creative camera angles are used to to ensure the most sensitive areas remain private.

Tate was selected to appear in this year’s edition of ‘The Body Issue,’ and critics were quick to point out that perhaps she was now the one being hypocritical. But Tate pointed to comments she made to MMA H.E.A.T. during the original controversy as proof that she’s never wavered from her original stance.

“To me, it’s so stupid that you would talk crap about ring girls doing Playboy, which that’s kind of what their appeal is – it’s a sex appeal,” Tate said in 2012. “For an athlete, there’s no real reason to have to get nude, although I think there’s nothing wrong with ESPN. I don’t think what Ronda did was wrong.

“I’m just saying it’s not OK to talk crap about the ring girls and then get 1 percent less naked and say it’s OK. To me it kind of falls in that hypocrisy.”

The tension between the two rivals is nothing new. The pair has publicly battled for the past several years as Rousey embarked on an astronomical ride from obscurity to the first-ever women’s UFC champ. Along the way, she defeated Tate with a gruesome looking armbar to claim the Strikeforce title, as well.

Now the pair is currently serving as opposing coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 18,” which is currently filming in Las Vegas and airs on FOX Sports 1 starting Sept. 4. Following the conclusion of the series, the pair will engage in a rematch with the UFC title on the line.

Tate replaced an injured Cat Zingano, who was expected to coach on the show, but few fans were disappointed in the switch as the Rousey-Tate rivalry is expected to make for good TV. Tate admits there’s been some tension but also believes she’s approaching things differently this time around.

“I’m definitely enjoying it,” Tate said. “It’s another one of those things where it’s such a blessing to even be considered for it, much less being able to be one of the first women to coach a season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and also seeing other women and young men pursuing their dream and somehow being a part of that is really cool. It’s such a humbling experience.

“It is challenging at times, for sure, to have to work in the same vicinity as Ronda. Sometimes it can be a bit trying. but for the most part, I really have a different outlook on how to deal with Ronda, and it just made it that much easier for me.”

The newest edition of “The Body Issue” hits newsstands on July 12, and Tate says she’s both happy and honored to have been a part of the project. And while she knows critics are still likely to voice their opinion, Tate feels confident her position now is exactly what it was then.

“My qualm was always just with Ronda posing nude for ESPN while criticizing the octagon girls for doing Playboy,” Tate said. “I thought the hypocrisy of it was ludicrous, and that’s what I had problems with.”

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