Miesha Tate Goes Nude for ESPN The Magazine's 'Body Issue'

Ronda Rousey may be a trailblazer in the world of women's mixed martial arts, but Miesha Tate is no slouch when it comes to achieving her own level of mainstream fame.

Tate, who is currently in Las Vegas filming the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite Rousey, will be featured in a nearly-nude state in the fifth edition of ESPN The Magazine's annual "Body Issue." 

The magazine hits newsstands July 12. 

Tate, the former Strikeforce bantamweight champion, made her UFC debut in April at The Ultimate Fighter 17 finale, where she lost to Cat Zingano. The loss meant that Tate wouldn't be able to resume her rivalry with Rousey, who'd already been announced as a coach for the season that premieres in September.

But a stroke of good luck came Tate's way when Zingano injured her knee during training and was forced to undergo surgery to repair the damage. The injury prevented Zingano from participating in the filming of The Ultimate Fighter, leaving the UFC to handpick Tate as her replacement. UFC president Dana White told reporters last week that the relationship between Rousey and Tate—never cordial to begin with during their days in Strikeforce—has devolved into true nastiness. 

"

It’s going exactly the way you’d expect it to be going: bad. I’m dead serious. Miesha and Ronda hate each other. It’s literally crazy drama every day. It’s irritating. I don’t even know if some of the stuff will make TV. It’s bad. Those two do not like each other, and their camps do not like each other. And it’s just pure (expletive) mayhem every day.

"

Tate will be in her birthday suit alongside 20 other prominent athletes, including San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and professional volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings. 

Rousey was one of the most heavily advertised athletes for the fourth "Body Issue," which hit stores a year ago. Rousey's star was so heavily on the rise that ESPN elected to feature her as one of the four cover athletes. Officials have not announced if Tate will be featured on the cover, too.