Miesha Tate Explains Why She Became an MMA Manager

From champion to analyst to manager, Miesha Tate has done it all.

A former UFC women’s bantamweight title holder, Tate is now retired from active competition. She has served as an analyst on the FOX Sports desk, but now she’s tackling a new challenge. “Cupcake” is now a manager, forming AO8 Management.

The move came as a surprise to many as Tate seemed well off as an analyst alone. Speaking to MMAFighting.com, she explained why forming a management company was the right decision:

“The reason I wanted to make it my mission is I remember how difficult it was for me in the early days, and I learned a lot during that time. I went through the thick of it. I’ve had bad management and great management. Some set the example to follow in their footsteps; others showed what not to do. I had awful experiences being taken advantage of, and I want to make their lives as easy as possible to focus on training. With my partners, we share a vision of supporting athletes to get them to the next level.”

AO8 Management have signed fighters such as Gina Mazany, Cindy Dandois, and Gustavo Lopez. Five-division boxing champion Amanda Serrano has committed to the team and plans to make the move to mixed martial arts as a flyweight.