UFC champ Miesha Tate would like to defend her title against 145-pound wrecking-machine “Cyborg” Justino.
Newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate has a fight versus Amanda Nunes coming up at UFC 200 in two weeks. However, in the back of her mind already lingers another, arguably way bigger challenge — the 145-pound wrecking machine Cris Cyborg Justino.
“I think it would be really cool to fight Cyborg, honestly,” Tate said during a media lunch on Monday (transcription via MMAFighting.com). “Like to really see what it’s like to be in there with someone with her power. … I’ll be the first to admit, physically I think I would be at a disadvantage, but I think that I can be the one to prove that I have the heart, the durability, the determination and the will power — and technique — to overcome that kind of challenge. And that intrigues me. That would be very rewarding to me.”
Cyborg holds the 145-pound title at Invicta FC and has recently made a successful UFC debut, with a first-round knockout over Leslie Smith, contested at a catchweight of 140 pounds. Rumblings of a potential mega fight between her and then-champion Ronda Rousey have been going on for years, but Cyborg’s inability to make the bantamweight limit has always prevented it from happening.
Unlike Rousey, Tate would be more than willing to take on Cyborg at a catchweight, but isn’t sure if she would be allowed to, since she is holding the 135-pound crown at the moment.
“I don’t know if I can not fight for the belt while I’m the champion,” Tate said. “I don’t know how that works. I’m not Conor McGregor. He has like his own set of rules. I’m not really sure. I wouldn’t be opposed to it. But I think it would be better if we did make it a title fight. At some point if that comes down and it’s allwed, like of course.”
Tate faces BJJ blackbelt Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 on July 9. The event is headlined by a light-heavyweight title rematch between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones as well as the comeback of pay-per-view behemoth and WWE superstar Brock Lesnar.