Women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate puts her title on the line for the first time at UFC 200 on July 9 against fourth-ranked Amanda Nunes.
Tate (18-5) captured the title by choking out Holly Holm at UFC 196 in March, handing “The Preacher’s Daughter” her first career loss. It was a stunning turn of events in the final round of a fight Holm appeared to be winning. Fresh off a handing Ronda Rousey her first loss at UFC 193, Holm was unable to defend the belt.
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Tate predicts that she’ll beat Nunes, and is hoping to face Rousey for a third time at Madison Square Garden in November.
“I think everything happens for a reason. I told everybody that I was going to beat Holly, and I did. I’m meant to be here. I’m going to beat Amanda on July 9. I’m going to go on and hopefully after that we’ll see Ronda in Madison Square Garden,” said Tate during a press conference promoting the event in New York.
Tate was open to a potential fight against the winner of Cat Zingano and Julianna Pena, who also fight on the UFC 200 fight card.
Zingano is ranked third in the women’s 135-pound division and holds a win over Tate. She and Pena are former training partners, so the storyline is built in. While the winner between Zingano and Pena will have a strong argument for a title shot after UFC 200, Tate is eyeing a Rousey fight if she gets past Nunes.
“Either way, I’m hoping that Ronda is making a comeback before then.”
