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Miesha Tate: ‘It’s Not My Job As a Champ to Pick Who is Next’
Newly crowned UFC women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate wants to defend her title sooner rather than later, but doesn't care who she faces in first title defense.
Fresh off her submission win over Holly Holm at UFC 196 on March 5 to capture the belt, Tate is eager to put it on the line.
There's a long list of potential challengers. Holm dethroning Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 and losing the belt in her first title defense has left the women's 135-pound division wide open.
“I need to have the mentality that I can be ready to beat anyone in the world at anytime,” Tate said during an appearance on UFC Tonight. “I’m not trying to look past anyone because I feel like there’s so many top contenders right now. Obviously, Ronda, Holly, Cat Zingano, Amanda Nunes, even Julianna Pena. Those are all really solid competition.
“I just don’t want to think that I’m set on this one person until I get a contract is signed,” she said.
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Tate knows there's not shortage of potential opponents. The obvious match-up to made is a trilogy fight against former champion Rousey, but Tate's not sold on waiting on Rousey's timeframe to return.
“I’d like to stay active as the champion. I don’t know if I really want to wait all the way until November,” said the 29-year-old titleholder. “I'd like to defend the belt. I'm motivated. I finally captured this belt. I want to continue to prove that I’m the best in the world.”
Questioned about who she'd prefer to face in her first title defense, Tate left it up to the promoters and matchmakers.
“It’s not really my job as the champ to pick who is next. I need to fight whoever they put in front of me,” she said.
