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Miesha Tate emerged victorious in her first UFC fight since 2016. Putting on a clinical performance at UFC Vegas 31, the 34-year-old cruised past Marion Reneau via a final round TKO.
'Cupcake' was far from being sweet inside the octagon as she ruthlessly unleashed a barrage of punches in the third round that forced the referee to call a stop to the contest.
Taking to her Instagram, Tate issued an official statement following her successful return. She acknowledged Reneau's career achievements and wished her the best for her future endeavors. The former UFC bantamweight champion also paid tribute to her former coach, Robert Follis.
Returning to the UFC after almost five years, Miesha Tate showed no signs of octagon jitters. She was confident on the feet and her grappling was equally good.
In the third round of the fight, Tate shot for a double leg and took Reneau down with ease. After securing the full mount position, she unloaded heavy ground and pound on Reneau, becoming the first fighter to finish the 44-year-old in MMA.
Coming into UFC Vegas 31, Reneau was on a four-fight losing streak. In her post-fight interview, 'The Belizean Bruiser' announced her retirement from the sport.
What's next for Miesha Tate?
After her fight against Marion Reneau, Miesha Tate made her intentions clear about continuing her second UFC run. 'Cupcake' stated she didn't decide to come back for a quick paycheck but to reclaim the UFC bantamweight title.
Tate said she is open to fighting anyone next, including Holly Holm, whom she submitted at UFC 196 in 2016.
"They can all get it, respectfully. They can all come. I expected them to come out of the woodwork, so that’s great. I think a fight with Holly (Holm) a second time would be great. There’s a lot of women in the division. Name them all. I don’t know where I’ll come in the rankings right now but I’m never one to say I deserve this or I deserve that. I understand I’ve got to continue to climb but whoever’s name on that list to get to the top, that’s fine with me," Miesha Tate said at the UFC Vegas 31 post-fight press conference.
Miesha Tate's professional MMA record stands at 19-7. After losing to Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington in 2016, she called an end to her career. However, the 34-year-old is now keen to chase the bantamweight gold once again.
