Miesha Tate is switching weight classes.
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate is changing weight classes, as previously teased.
MMA Fighting reported that Tate will take on recent flyweight title challenger Lauren Murphy at a UFC card on May 14th. Originally this matchup was targeted for UFC 273 in April, but a scheduling conflict prompted the fight to be moved back.
Tate (19-8) ended her five-year retirement from the sport last year, winning by third-round TKO against Marion Reneau at UFC Vegas 31 in July. She then headlined UFC Vegas 43 in November against Ketlen Vieira, who defeated her by five-round unanimous decision. At the height of her success, she won UFC gold with a dramatic submission of Holly Holm at UFC 196 in 2016, before losing the belt to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. Tate retired after a decision loss to Raquel Pennington, but she’s back and is mere months away from her flyweight debut.
Murphy (15-5) challenged Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 266 in September, losing by fourth-round TKO in what was the first stoppage loss of her career. In the run-up to her title shot, Murphy won five straight fights, including decisions over Andrea Lee, Roxanne Modafferi, and Joanne Calderwood. Murphy had fought at both 145 and 135 before dropping to flyweight for season 26 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2017, and no doubt she’s had her best UFC success at 125.
No other fights have been linked to the May 14th card.