Miesha Tate has released a statement expressing her disappointment that Holly Holm has now been officially confirmed as Ronda Rousey’s next opponent at UFC 195 on January 2nd despite the fact that she had already been told that she would be the next to fight the champion.
“I am extremely disappointed how all the events unfolded this morning regarding news that I will not be fighting Ronda Rousey,” Tate, who turned 29 earlier this week, stated on Instagram. “I was told after my last win that I had earned the title shot.
“I’ve already begun training for Rousey and I was shocked to hear the announcement this morning. I regret this for not only myself, but my team, sponsors and the fans who like me believed my next fight was for the title.”
Meanwhile, after the UFC neglected to tell Tate about the change of plans ahead of Rousey’s announced on the Good Morning America show yesterday, President Dana White has rubbed further salt in Tate’s wounds by expressing his disinterest in a third fight between the two rivals.
“We were talking about Miesha from the start, then as we started sitting around we were saying, ‘Everyone has seen the Miesha fight already.’” White told the Los Angeles Times.
“A third fight in a rivalry usually comes after the stuff we’d see in (Arturo) Gatti-(Micky) Ward. With Miesha, the result has been the same twice. Everyone’s already seen that fight.”
White went on to state his belief that it’s better for Tate’s career if she doesn’t fight Rousey for now.
“There’s two sides to the coin … I’m not sure losing another fight to Ronda so soon would be good for Miesha,” White said. “She’s not going anywhere. I think she’ll be fine.”
White’s response to this situation is a little odd. Rather than simply talking up Holm as a suitable opponent he’s instead talked down Tate which might come back to haunt him at a later date as it still seems inevitable that at some point in time Rousey Vs Tate III is going to happen as there’s not many other options out there for the dominant champion and Tate has given her more of a challenge than her other fights so far.
So what does come next for Tate now? White is believed to favor a fight between Tate and up and coming contender Amanda Nunes.
