Miesha Tate (18-5) kommer försvara sitt bantamviktsbälte mot Amanda Nunes (12-4) på UFC 200, men har siktet inställt på ett tredje möte med Ronda Rousey (12-1) efter matchen mot Nunes.
’Cupcake” är glad över att inte behöva vänta länge innan hon äntrar oktagonen igen efter hennes submission-vinst över Holly Holm (10-1) på UFC 196. Tate tycker att Nunes är en värdig motståndare och förklarar att Nunes är en tuff utmaning för henne, men en tuff utmaning är precis det som Tate vill ha.
”I’m so excited that I get such a quick turn around,” sa Tate. ”There has been so many times in my career where it’s been eight-month layoff, nine-month layoff, six-month layoff. This is going to be a really quick turn around and I get to make my first title defense against what I feel is a very formidable opponent. She is on a four fight win streak. Not that many other girls in the division… I think the only other one who is on a real win streak is Julianna Pena. So she is a very dangerous opponent and she comes out with a ferocious pace. She has incredible leg kicks. She looks like she hits like a Mack truck and I believe she is a black belt on the ground. She presents a lot of problems, but that is good because I want a challenge and I want someone to recognize the skill set that she brings to this because when I beat her…”
”She’s definitely not going to be an easy feat, but I want people to understand she is a very viable opponent,” sa hon. ”I want to go out there and I want to show the world why I’m the best.”
Tate förklarar varför en omedelbar rematch mot Holm inte blev bokad, då den forna bantamviktsmästarinnan inte höll bältet länge och det faktum att Tate inte blev dominerad i matchen innan ”Cupcake” avslutade Holm via submission.
”It really boils down to that Holly wasn’t a long-reigning champion. She lost the belt in her first defense. It wasn’t like I was getting crushed on the feet or something that was an epic… She was edging me for sure. She edged me three out of the five rounds. The second round was a 10-8 on all three of the judges scorecards and I finished her in the fifth round. So it didn’t go to a decision, it didn’t end up in a tie and I finished the fight and I’m looking to fight someone new, someone that I haven’t beat yet. And I think Amanda, being on that win streak and having that momentum and that confidence. I think that says more, beating her, than it would beating Holly again.”
Tate hoppas på att kunna möta hennes rival Rousey en tredje gång då hon känner att hon och ’Rowdy’ har unfinished business, då Rousey har besegrat Tate två gånger, båda gångerna via armbar. Första mötet mellan dem skedde i Strikeforce då Tate var bantamviktsmästarinnan, men förlorade sin titel till Rousey. Andra gången dem möttes var på UFC 168 där Tate utmanade om bantamviktstiteln, men blev besegrad i tredje ronden.
”I sure hope so,” sa Tate. ”It’s gotta be. I feel like I have unfinished business there and I feel like I’ve finally hit the full balance of my career and I’m in a really good place right now. I’m training at Xtreme Couture. I have an amazing team behind me. Mentally, physically, emotionally, I’ve got all the check marks. I feel so good and so confident. And now you know, it’s like before you win the belt you always tell yourself, ’I know I can win the belt. I think I can win the belt.’ But then when you win it it’s like, ’I did it.’ It’s not just a thought anymore. I am capable of that. I’ve proven it to myself. I’ve proven it to the world. I’m going to do it again when I fight Amanda and then ideally I’d like to fight Ronda next.”
Foto: Mazdak Cavian
