Yana Santos handed Miesha Tate a tough defeat Saturday night at UFC Des Moines, but the story was far from one-sided. In a high-stakes women’s bantamweight showdown, Santos outstruck and outmaneuvered the former champion for most of the fight, earning a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring it 29-28 in her favor
Tate, known for her relentless pressure, started aggressively but struggled to land clean shots as Santos kept her composure, using sharp jabs and damaging leg kicks to control the pace The turning point came in the third round, when Tate finally secured a takedown and threatened with ground-and-pound and rear-naked choke attempts. Despite the late surge, Santos defended well, escaped danger, and survived until the final horn
The victory cements Santos’ place among the division’s top contenders, while Tate-now 38-faces questions about her next steps after a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful comeback effort
