Yana Santos achieved a significant win in her career by defeating former champion and potential Hall of Famer Miesha Tate at UFC Des Moines on Saturday.
Santos established an early lead on the scorecards by utilizing a superior striking attack, landing multiple effective combinations throughout the first two rounds. Although Tate made a determined effort with a late takedown attempt, she was unable to secure a finish, allowing Santos to survive and clinch the victory.
Ultimately, all three judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Santos, marking her second consecutive win overall.
Reflecting on her opponent, Santos stated, “I want to say thank you to my opponent. She’s my all-time favorite fighter. It’s more than my dream that I have a win over her. I’m happy that I won it.”
The fight began with Tate coming out aggressively, throwing hard punches and quickly transitioning to takedown attempts. Santos effectively weathered the initial storm and countered with solid strikes, including well-timed elbows during clinch exchanges.
As the fight progressed, Santos became more effective, targeting the body and then going back to the head with a sharp lead jab. She also incorporated leg kicks that clearly impacted Tate’s movement.
Santos controlled the distance by circling away while precisely measuring her strikes against the former champion. Even when Tate attempted to wrestle, she lacked effective forward drive, and Santos was able to defend her takedown attempts with relative ease.
Entering the final round, likely down two rounds, Tate was compelled to take risks, which led to her successfully securing her first takedown. On the ground, Tate worked hard to advance her position, moving from half-guard to mount and eventually taking Santos’ back.
Tate desperately pursued a submission finish, but Santos successfully defended every attempt and held on until the final horn. Ultimately, Tate ran out of time, and Santos was confident she had done enough over the three competitive rounds to earn the judges` decision.
This win against a notable opponent like Miesha Tate helps elevate Yana Santos within the bantamweight division. For the 38-year-old veteran Tate, her record since returning from retirement in 2021 falls to 2-3.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely