Miesha Tate hoppades tidigare på en tredje match mot före detta bantamviktsmästarinnan Ronda Rousey, som sedan blev fråntagen bältet av Holly Holm under UFC 193. Nu kommer Tate att möta Holm om bältet under UFC 197 i mars.
Tate känner nu att Holm är en mycket farligare motståndare än Rousey och tror att det kan bli svårt.
I think that Holly’s coaches are far better than Ronda’s and I think that makes her a more dangerous opponent. And she will rise to any occasion as we can see. She surprised me and she surprised the world. And I wouldn’t put it past her to try to do it again at UFC 197. My job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Hon har tidigare förlorat mot Rousey vid två tillfällen och hon känner sig nervös inför den kommande matchen mot den nye mästarinnan.
If anything, I’m probably a little bit more anxious for this fight than I would be for another one with Ronda, because I feel like this is a whole new puzzle. I feel like maybe I was just starting to figure out that Ronda puzzle, but this is like an entirely new challenge with a great support system.
Tate blev tidigare lovad matchen mot Rousey efter vinsten mot Jessica Eye under UFC on FOX 17. När hon fick veta att Holm fick matchen istället övervägde hon att gå i pension.
I didn’t know where I was at with everything, honestly. It was kind of a whirlwind of emotions. I don’t take a title opportunity lightly. I put my whole life into this sport right here. I put everything that I have to give and when I think that I’m gonna get a title shot, I’m like a hungry beast. And it’s like you just took that steak away from me. I’m pretty pissed.
Now here we are and everything worked out the way it was meant to work out. Fate does have a way of finding itself. I think this is where I was supposed to be.
Titelmatchen äger under UFC 197 i Las Vegas den 5 mars.
