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Miesha Tate believes she can defeat archrival and fellow former women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey if their trilogy fight happens in the UFC.
Just a month after Tate announced her initial retirement following the loss to Raquel Pennington, Rousey fought her last MMA bout. 'Rowdy' lost to current women's bantamweight and featherweight titleholder Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016.
However, 'Cupcake' returned to the octagon after a near five-year gap at UFC on ESPN: Makhachev vs. Moises in July this year. She defeated Marion Reneau via TKO at the event.
Speaking to ESPN's Marc Raimondi, Miesha Tate insisted she wasn't feeling a hundred percent mentally when she fought Ronda Rousey in the past. She added she wants the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist to return for one final bow.
"It was just one of those things I was thinking about when you talk about long-term goals. I know she is retired and she's had a baby. That's all fine and dandy. But man, it would be a dream come true if she came back and I could fight her one more time. I know I have what it takes to beat Ronda Rousey. And she knew part of the kryptonite for me was that my former relationship was causing the rift between him and I. So everything was unstable in my personal life. Having the rivalry and extra pressure of somebody like that you're with day in day out was such a detriment to me. I think I went into those fights congested in my mind. I really wasn't able to be just fighting her," said Tate.
Watch Miesha Tate in conversation with Marc Raimondi below:
Rousey beat Tate for the first time in Strikeforce way back in March 2012 via submission using her signature armbar. She won the rematch using the same move at UFC 168 in December 2013.
Miesha Tate will main event UFC Fight Night 198 this Saturday with Ketlen Vieira
No.8-ranked women's bantamweight contender Miesha Tate will headline UFC Fight Night 198 with No.7-ranked Ketlen Vieira on Saturday.
The duo were originally expected to square off in the main event of UFC Fight Night 195 in October this year. However, Tate tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was postponed by a month.
Miesha Tate is a slight betting favorite over Vieira, who is coming off a loss to No.6-ranked contender Yana Kunitskaya at UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis in February 2021.
