Miesha Tate turned back the clock earlier tonight (Sat., Dec. 2, 2023) at UFC Austin live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside Moody Center in Austin, Tex., as the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion stopped a returning Julia Avila with a dominant third-round submission (face crank).
Avila, who had to drop nearly 100 pounds over the past 12 months to return to competition, was making her first Octagon appearance in well over two years. This was her opportunity to prove she’s still a rising threat at 135 pounds and that she can get past some of the most battle-tested veterans in the division.
Unfortunately for Avila, Tate arrived ready to dominate. The former UFC champion immediately changed levels and utilized her world-class grappling. Avila, who has looked well-rounded in the past, had zero answers. It was Tate’s fight and she dictated every second of it.
“Cupcake” maintained her dominance early into the third round when she grabbed a hold of Avila’s back. From there, Tate locked up a tight face crank and squeezed as hard as she could. Avila had never been submitted before, but she had no choice but to tap.
Check out the final moments in the above player.
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