Miesha Tate names future opponents she’s looking to face in her second UFC stint
Now that she’s prepared to make a second run in the UFC, Miesha Tate has a game plan, a timeline, and an ultimate goal of once again becoming champion. The former women’s bantamweight champion made waves when she announced her return to active competition after five years away, with a matchup against Marion Reneau on July 17.
With her return fight set, there has been plenty of speculation about who Tate will fight during her comeback tour including former opponents Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, and Amanda Nunes, the former champion made it known who she’d like to fight. During her weekly radio show ‘MMA Today’ on Sirius XM, Tate let it be known she’s signed a six-fight contract and is open to a rematch with Holm, among others.
🎙️"I have six fights on my contract … I'm sure Holly will be one of those fights." — @MieshaTate responds to Holly Holm wanting to avenge her loss and names an additional rematch she'd like as part of her comeback tour 🔊@RJcliffordMMA
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— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) April 13, 2021
“Look I have six fights on my contract, that’s kind of my short plan, this two-year plan, I’m sure Holly will be one of those fights. But to honestly say that it’s on my radar ‘Oh I’ve got to fight Holly’ it’s not because I beat Holly. But I fully intend that we will fight again, in a perfect world, I’d like to be the champion and she would challenge me. That would be a dream come true for me, I think that would be the way that it could make the most sense and is the most appealing to me.”
Recently, former UFC contender Cat Zingano made the jump to Bellator and before her fight at Bellator 256, made it known that she still has a rivalry with Tate and would welcome a rematch between the two. Having defeated Tate by third-round TKO back in 2013 and said that the bad blood between the two is still alive. After hearing the comments made by Zingano, Miesha Tate says it’s a fight she’d love to have back.
“I would love to have that fight back, so I don’t care what it is that makes her want to fight me. If she has to hate me, if she loves me, I don’t care, I would love that fight. A chance at redemption with that really excites me. It’s one of the more motivating fights for me.”
While Zingano has not been shy about the heat between her and Miesha Tate, the former champion says she has nothing against her former opponent.
“I don’t have any bad blood towards her [Zingano], I’m happy for her doing great things over in Bellator. She’s a mom, she’s been fantastic for this sport. Not an ounce of bad blood or hate or anything personal on my side, but of course, I’d love to have that fight back.”
Welcoming fights against Holm and Zingano and making it clear that she wants to be a champion again, Miesha Tate is making her intentions clearly known as she prepares for her return to the UFC.
