Miesha Tate Speaks Out On Being Skipped Over For Ronda Rousey Trilogy
To say UFC fans were surprised about Ronda Rousey’s announcement that she’d be facing Holly Holm at UFC 195 is an understatement. Apparently, top-ranked Miesha Tate was in the same boat.
“I am extremely disappointed how all the events unfolded this morning regarding news that I will not be fighting Ronda Rousey,” Miesha Tate told MMAFighting.com on Friday.
Miesha Tate had previously earned a third fight with Ronda Rousey following her destruction of Jessica Eye during July’s UFC on Fox event. With Rousey winning her UFC 190 fight with Bethe Correia in dominating fashion just one week later, the fight appeared to be a go for late 2015/early 2016.
Tate and Rousey have been embroiled in a hate-filled feud dating back to their first fight two-and-a-half years ago in Strikeforce. The battle carried on over to the UFC, and even the company’s Ultimate Fighter reality series. It doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, despite the cancellation of their fight.
The third fight was even promised and touted by UFC President Dana White following Tate’s July victory, her fourth in a row. During the streak, Tate had toppled three top-10 fighters.
“Miesha is such a durable human being. She’s worked her way back to Ronda Rousey,” White said at the UFC on Fox post-fight press conference.
While Tate is the only fighter in Rousey’s professional or amateur career to take “Rowdy” out of the first round, Tate has lost both fights in rather dominant fashion.
Miesha Tate’s manager Josh Jones was also surprised by the announcement, saying he found out during Rousey’s Good Morning America appearance just like everyone else. It appears as if Tate discovered the news in the same manner.
UFC President Dana White told reporters on Friday that he still has a fight at UFC 195 in mind for Tate, a potential matchup with top-5 Women’s Bantamweight talent Amanda Nunes. Tate has yet to comment on the possibility of that fight happening.
Tate also told MMAFighting that she’d already started to train for a third fight with Ronda Rousey following her win over Eye. She expressed regret that her team, sponsors, and fans had helped her prepare for the bout, which is no longer going to happen.
Tate has plenty of options, however. in the form of the aforementioned Amanda Nunes, as well as Invicta Featherweight Cris “Cyborg” Justino. Tate has expressed willingness to fight Justino at 135 or 140 pounds in the past.
[Photo via Steve Marcus/Stringer/Getty Images Sport]
