Tara LaRosa

The Ultimate Fighter In August 2013, it was announced that LaRosa was one of the fighters selected to be on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate. LaRosa faced Sarah Moras in the elimination round to get into the TUF house. In one of the show's bigger upsets, Moras defeated LaRosa via decision, thereby eliminating her from the show.

Grappling and Jiu-Jitsu LaRosa has partook in numerous grappling/jiu-jitsu competitions with and without a gi prior to and during her MMA career. She has competed in different regional competitions for NAGA Grappling World Championships. In 2000, she became the National Champion in the Women's Jiu Jitsu and Women's Kumite division of the United States Sport Jiu Jitsu Association. The next year she placed 2nd in the Women's Advanced divisions for NAGA - Battle at the Beach, and first in the same division for Gi and No Gi at Music City Grappling Championship. She became Women's Champion at Submission Fighting Open 7. She competed at Southern Open Submission Championships, placing 1st in the Women's Advanced (No Gi), 2nd in the Men's (Gi), and 3rd in Men's (No Gi) divisions. LaRosa was named the Southern Open Submission Championships' MVP of Tournament.

LaRosa won first place in the (Gi) and (No Gi) Women's Advanced Philadelphia Freedom Open Jiujitsu Tourney in 2002. She also was first in the Men's (Gi) Philadelphia Freedom Open Jiujitsu Tourney. She won NAGA - Georgia's Women's (Gi) competition, and was second in the 2nd Men's (No Gi) portion. She won Grappler's Quest - Copa Alantica Women's Advanced competition, and repeated as first-place winner in Women's Advanced (Gi) for Music City Grappling Championship. She was first in NAGA -Florida's Women's Advanced (No Gi), and 3rd in NAGA -Florida's Men's Intermediate (No Gi). At NAGA Championships, she was first in both the Gi and no Gi Women's Advanced competitions. In 2003, she was first in the Women's Advanced (Gi) division of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic, and first in both the Gi and non-Gi portions of NAGA - World Championships Women's Advanced divisions. At NAGA - Miami, she was 1st in Women's Advanced (no Gi), and 2nd in the Men's Intermediate (No Gi).

LaRosa competed in the first women's divisions at the ADCC World Championships on May 27 and 28, 2005. She won a silver medal in the absolute division.

In August 2022, LaRosa earned the rank of Brown Belt from Combatives University. She was presented the rank by Combatives University founder, Matt Larsen, and the Combatives Black Belt Guild. LaRosa also won the 135-lbs Combat Jiu-Jitsu title while competing in Carolina Combat League.

Personal life Tara's parents are Carmen and Charlene LaRosa. She has a sister named Tiffany. Carmen and Charlene own and operate La Rosa Greenhouses, which they opened in Woodstown, New Jersey in 1979. Tara attributes her persistence to observing her father. Carmen had recovered from a financial setback with the family farm – bankruptcy – in the 1980s. Over several years, Carmen remained committed and repaid his debts. It motivated Tara and translated over in her desire for competition: "For me, fighting isn't about fighting – it is about competing. It's about testing myself and not giving up. I compete in everything I do. It's who I am." LaRosa was in Vancouver doing promotional work for BodogFight when she heard the news of Elizalde's death. They met as training partners while LaRosa was an instructor in modern army combat in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Elizalde, age 30, worked as an engineer in the U.S. Special Forces. Anna Dempster and Sarah Patterson initially responded to the challenge but Tara LaRosa stepped in to replace them after each of them suffered an eye injury. On January 6, one hour before the fight, LaRosa and Zylinski were told by police that the event had been deemed illegal by Florida's State Athletics Commission. It was held later on and uploaded on January 22. It ended with Zylinski tapping out and stating that LaRosa won the fight due to better conditioning.

LaRosa began attending right-wing events following her retirement in 2015. In November 2018, LaRosa spoke at a HimToo rally in Portland, organized by a member of the far-right group Patriot Prayer. LaRosa has also advanced conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and published a list of people who had signed a petition against Donald Trump which she falsely claimed was a list of anti-fascist activists.

Mixed martial arts record Win

Katie Howard Decision (unanimous) Fusion Fight League: Epic Evolution

Billings, Montana, United States Loss

Roxanne Modafferi Decision (unanimous) Invicta FC 8: Waterson vs. Tamada

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Loss

Rin Nakai Decision (majority) Pancrase 252: 20th Anniversary

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Loss

Vanessa Porto Decision (unanimous) Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama

Kansas City, Kansas, United States Win

Kelly Warren Submission (armbar) RFA 2: Yvel vs. Alexander

Kearney, Nebraska, United States Win

Carina Damm Submission (inverted heel hook) Shark Fights 14: Horwich vs. Villefort

Lubbock, Texas, United States Win

Takayo Hashi Decision (unanimous) DaMMAge Fight League: The Big Bang

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Loss

Roxanne Modafferi Decision (split) Moosin: God of Martial Arts

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States Win

Valerie Coolbaugh Submission (rear-naked choke) Extreme Force: "Locked In The Cage 1"

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Win

Sally Krumdiack Submission (kimura) Extreme Challenge: "Mayhem At The Marina"

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Alexis Davis TKO (doctor stoppage) Extreme Challenge: "The War at the Shore"

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Cody Welchlin Submission (triangle armbar) HOOKnSHOOT: BodogFight 2007 Women's Grand Prix

Evansville, Indiana, United States Win

Kelly Kobold Submission (armbar) BodogFight: Alvarez vs. Lee

Trenton, New Jersey, United States Win

Shayna Baszler TKO (punches) BodogFight: Costa Rica

Costa Rica Win

Julia Berezikova Submission (armbar) BodogFight: USA vs. Russia

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Win

Amanda Buckner Submission (rear-naked choke) BodogFight: To The Brink Of War

Costa Rica Win

Julie Kedzie Decision (unanimous) Ultimate Cage Wars

Chelan, Washington, United States Win

Hitomi Akano Decision (unanimous) Mix Fight Championship: USA vs. Russia 3

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Roxanne Modafferi Decision (unanimous) Mix Fight Championship: Boardwalk Blitz

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Kumiko Maekawa Decision (unanimous) Smackgirl: Lightweight Anniversary

Tokyo, Japan Win

Megumi Yabushita Decision (majority) G-Shooto: G-Shooto 02

Tokyo, Japan Win

Alisa Cantwell Submission (armbar) Xtreme Fighting Organization 4

McHenry, Illinois, United States Win

Linda Langerak Submission (armbar) HOOKnSHOOT: Evolution

Evansville, Indiana, United States Loss

Jennifer Howe TKO (punches) HOOKnSHOOT: Absolute Fighting Championships 3

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States Win

Ginele Marquez Submission (armbar) Tennessee Shooto: Judgment

Clarksville, Tennessee, United States Win

Angela Wilson TKO (punches) HOOKnSHOOT: New Wind

Evansville, Indiana, United States Win

Shelby Walker Submission (punches) HOOKnSHOOT: Revolution

Evansville, Indiana, United States Championships and accomplishments DaMMAge Fight League Women's Super Flyweight Champion - 2010 Locked in the Cage Women's Flyweight Champion - 2009 BodogFight Women's Bantamweight Champion - 2007 UCW Women's Bantamweight Champion - 2006 Carolina Combat League Bantamweight Combat Jiu-Jitsu Champion - 2022 Women's MMA Awards 2009 Super Flyweight of the Year 2009 Fight of the Year vs. Alexis Davis Fight Matrix 2006 Female Fighter of the Year 2007 Female Fighter of the Year 2009 Female Fighter of the Year