Miesha Tate was supposed to receive a third shot at Ronda Rousey last year, but Holly Holm got the call instead. Now, Tate-Rousey No. 3 once again is a very real possibility but with a twist.
Tate received another chance at the belt Saturday night when she faced Holm in Las Vegas at UFC 196. Holm was riding high off her shocking victory over Rousey, and she was trying to cement her status as the new top female fighter in the organization.
However, Tate put a major wrench in those plans when she scored a crucial takedown of Holm in the second round of Saturday’s title fight. Holm rebounded from there, and Tate even admitted afterward that she “had to be perfect in the fifth round” to come away with the win.
Luckily for Tate, that’s exactly what happened, thanks to her submission maneuver at the 3:30 mark of the fifth and final round.
Tate, understandably, wasn’t focusing on her potential first opponent as the new champion following the fight, but that’ll be the main topic of discussion going forward. She potentially could face Holm again in a rematch, which would seem fair on many levels. But there’s also a strong case for Rousey to face the new champion next.
Timing probably will have a lot to do with that, as Rousey isn’t expected to fight again until later in the year. So if Tate wants to get back in the octagon before then, she might have to do it against someone other than her archrival. And should we dare wonder who would be next in line if there’s another new title holder after that night, too?
The women’s bantamweight division now has two women with legitimate claims for rematches for the title and a new champion. And now we await Dana White’s decision.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
