Miesha Tate quarrels with Aspen Ladd, coach over weight debacle: ‘Everyone saw you cheat’
Former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate did not take lightly to divisional rival Aspen Ladd’s weight miss on the scales prior to UFC Fight Night 193.
Following the conclusion of Saturday’s event, Tate responded to an apologetic statement issued earlier in the week by Ladd and accused her of cheating.
“It’s one thing to miss weight, it’s another thing to try and cheat the scale and use every excuse in the book to not weigh in properly,” Tate wrote on Twitter. “Everyone saw you cheat and still came in a (pound) over. I bet you were every bit of 139.”
It’s one thing to miss weight, it’s another thing to try and cheat the scale and use every excuse in the book to not weigh in properly. Everyone saw you cheat and still came in a lb over. I bet you were every bit of 139. https://t.co/VyOWcfTMCv
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 3, 2021
Tate elaborated on her accusation in a follow-up tweet. According to Tate, she thinks Ladd purposely avoided the backstage digital scale in order to use cheating tactics on the less-accurate beam scale in front of the media.
“Because she wanted to cheat the real scale and she knew if she checked before hand that she couldn’t explain why the (pounds) suddenly disappeared when she got behind a curtain she could grab onto,” Tate wrote.
Because she wanted to cheat the real scale and she knew if she checked before hand that she couldn’t explain why the lbs suddenly disappeared when she got behind a curtain she could grab onto https://t.co/p0R33jTtyu
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) October 3, 2021
Coach Jim West claps back
MMA Gold’s Jim West, who serves as head coach for Ladd, didn’t take lightly to Tate’s accusations and defended his fighter in a response tweet. West called Tate “a coward” and counter-accused the former UFC champion of unsportsmanlike negotiating tactics for a short-notice matchup in July, which was offered to both parties but never came to fruition.
“Miesha Tate you are a coward,” West wrote. “Remember when you lied saying we wanted you to fight late notice at 145 but you went on record saying we wanted it at 135 and we know for a fact you said you didn’t want that tough of an opponent? Trust me have good inside information.”
Miesha Tate you are a coward. Remember when you lied saying we wanted you to fight late notice at 145 but you went on record saying we wanted it at 135 and we know for a fact you said you didn’t want that tough of an opponent? Trust me have good inside information.
— Jim west (@Jwestgold15) October 3, 2021
Ladd (respectfully) chimes in to defend herself
While her coach took a slightly more combative approach, Ladd elected to quickly defend herself before she pivoted away from the coversation.
“U R a champ, a pioneer in mma,I hav a great deal of respect for u.Bottom line is I didn’t make it. there is documented history struggles,” Ladd wrote. “1lb or 10lb the bottom line is I didn’t get it done. taking control to rectify the situation. I will not engage w/ neg this has brought.”
U R a champ, a pioneer in mma,I hav a great deal of respect for u.Bottom line is I didn't make it. there is documented history struggles. 1lb or 10lb the bottom line is I didn't get it done. taking control to rectify the situation. I will not engage w/ neg this has brought., 🙏
— Aspen Ladd (@TheAspenLadd) October 3, 2021
Tate, 35, is currently scheduled to headline the UFC Fight Night event on Nov. 20. Meanwhile, Ladd has not been rebooked since the cancellation Friday.
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