Miesha Tate scored what was easily the best win of her UFC career over a formidable Jessica Eye at UFC on Fox 16 on Saturday, and that could lead her to big things. According to UFC President Dana White at the post-fight press conference (Warning: NSFW Language), Tate is now in position to challenge for the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
When asked point-blank if Tate was next in line for a title shot, White was quick to respond “Yeah, she is.” Then, following a discussion of how impressed he was with Tate’s performance, added “She has worked her way back to Ronda Rousey.”
(Warning: NSFW Language)
Rousey and Tate have fought twice before, for both the Strikeforce and UFC women’s bantamweight titles, with Rousey getting the win in both contests. While that would traditionally lock Tate out of title contention for the foreseeable future, the marketability of a third fight between the two fiery rivals and the lack of another strong contender make Tate the most appealing option available.
That said, Rousey vs. Tate 3 is not quite a sure thing. Rousey is currently set to face Brazilian striker Bethe Correia at UFC 190 on August 1. If Correia manages to defeat Rousey (which is insanely unlikely, as evidenced by the fact she currently sits as high as a +972 underdog, via OddsShark.com), an immediate rematch is all but guaranteed.
In spite of the fact that Tate owns two difficult losses to Rousey, she is excited to have another crack at the UFC title. “I’m always ready. I love punching Ronda in the face,” she said. “Later, when asked about the dynamic of fighting Rousey again, she added, “it’s a bigger goal to get a win over Ronda, but in the big picture, my biggest goal is getting gold…I want to be able to say before I retire that I was UFC world champion. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who has the belt.”
There was no discussion of when or where the fight could potentially occur, but if Tate’s next fight is indeed with Rousey, it likely won’t be until early 2016. Keep an eye on Bleacher Report for more news as it develops.
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