When women’s combat was almost as far underground as MMA itself in its earliest days, Tate was renowned for her grit and tenacity, her grappling chops and her willingness to exchange haymakers despite some sloppiness and shortcomings there.
More than one woman fell prey to Tate’s will in the days of Bodog Fight, FCF and Strikeforce, though the latter was the only one anyone might remember with any fondness. Tate was a pioneer at a time when women’s MMA had elevated only slightly above the backroom smokers of decades past, jumping from college into a sport with a dubious future and largely excelling.