Holly Holm (10-0) will defend her newly gained women’s bantamweight title for the first time at UFC 196. With Ronda Rousey still on the shelf, No. 2-ranked contender Miesha Tate (17-5) steps in to challenge for gold for the second time.
Holm stunned the MMA world with her vicious second-round knockout of Rousey at UFC 193 last November. The victory shifted the complexion of the division as a whole and opened up new opportunities for its contenders.
Tate believed she had wrapped up a title shot up after defeating Jessica Eye last summer. It was her fourth straight win, but the UFC went with Holm instead. It was a decision that hit Tate hard. But now she gets the shot she has rightfully earned with her in-cage performances.
The lone title fight on the card will be the co-main event on Saturday. Whether that is just or not makes little difference. The stakes remain the same.
Here is a head-to-toe breakdown for the co-main event of UFC 196.