Miesha Tate on respecting Ronda Rousey

One that that is very impressive about Miesha Tate is that even though her and Ronda Rousey have a strong rivalry and dislike for one another, Tate is objective about the doors Rousey has opened up for women's MMA and gives her a lot of credit. Many times if someone doesn't like another they can instantly negate all of the other person's characteristics as being flawed, but that isn't the case with Tate, who acknowledges what Ronda has done in the sport and the fact that because of Ronda, Tate pushes herself to be the best athlete and person she can be. Miesha Tate noted this in an interview with MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani:

She's taken women's MMA to a whole new level and she's opened so many doors; like the ESPN shoot, I don't think I probably would have gotten that opportunity if it wasn't for her, and probably wouldn't be fighting in the UFC if it wasn't for her. Now she's opening doors to movies and things like that, so I feel like I'm just riding her heels and as much as I can't stand her personally, just because she's rude all the time, she makes it very hard for me to like her personally, doesn't meant that I don't really admire what she's done in this sport. And I do admire her in a sense; she motivates me, she inspires me to be the best person I could be, and be the best fighter I can be, and she tests me in every single way, so I'm definitely glad to have her in the sport.

One of the things that this sort of reminds me of is how Georges St-Pierre talks about his opponents. He notes that he must respect them because it is due to them that he is able to showcase his skills, earn a living, and be a martial artist. Without an opponent he does not exist as a fighter. GSP notes this in his book The Way of the Fight, he writes:

Before each one of my fights, I make a point of saluting my opponent. I salute the other fighter out of respect, even though he is trying to take something away from me. Not many people understand why I do this, but it’s simple: without the other guy, there is no me. That’s why I pray for the both of us, and not just myself. By stepping into the octagon, my adversary completes me. He makes my life possible. He becomes a part of my existence. To disrespect him is to disrespect myself. Thanks to him, I become a better man. Thanks to his presence, I am a true martial artist. Thanks to his willingness to face me, my life takes shape and moves forward, my path evolves and my life goal nears.