On a scale of Mark Coleman to Greg Jackson, where would you rank Miesha Tate telling Bryan Caraway that he could "coast" against Takeya Mizugaki? I have never seen a piece of corner advice directly lead to a fighter losing like that before. Tate is obviously a great fighter, but is there an issue when you have a significant other in your corner? Even if they have fighting experience, I wonder if their risk management and strategy wouldn't be different from a coach or trainer who still has a close yet different relationship with a fighter. -- Matt from Toledo
There is bias everywhere in this world. Sometimes it works in your favor; other times it bites you in the rear end. The people that prepare a mixed martial artist have an investment in the bout and more often than not view what takes place over the course of five minutes in a slanted fashion. Magnify that a hundredfold when it’s your significant other.
If Caraway was honestly comfortable with the notion that the fight was in the bag after two rounds, I am not sure what I can tell him and what Tate told him certainly didn't matter in the end. I had the bout 19-19 after ten minutes, as did many people who were watching. This decision was one of four split decisions on at the event. At this moment in MMA, you probably need at least a 10-8 round to feel you can “coast” comfortably. With only 15 minutes allotted in MMA for non-title affairs, I don’t think you can ever take a round off in a three round affair.
If Caraway really did take the final frame off, he did this to himself despite what any cornerman -- or woman -- said to him.
If you’re competing, you need to really take a step back and look at who you bring to the cage with you as your seconds. I am making sure the chief second is the person with whom I have put my game plan together. This person must be observant to changes that need to be made in between rounds and someone who can speak clearly and directly through the haze that sets in on most fighters mid-battle. The last person I am going to bring is a cheerleader, someone who loves me unconditionally, thinks the world of me and feels that no matter what I am a winner.
Optimism in life is great, but in a close fight, I’ll take the pessimistic strategist who is willing to give me advice in between rounds. However, even if Tate's cornering wasn't the soundest, she isn't to blame for Caraway's loss. Caraway could've realized the stakes and chose to fight. Instead, he opted to “coast” until he crashed.