Miesha Tate is once again next in line to fight Ronda Rousey. The 17-5 veteran has met Rousey twice before and has the distinction of being the only opponent to last past the first round. That and a four-fight win streak seem to have earned her a third shot at the Women’s Bantamweight Championship, pending an official announcement from the UFC.
It didn’t take long for Tate to share her thoughts on Rousey’s dominating performance at UFC 190 over Bethe Correia…
Guaranteed she won't do that to me #RouseyTatelll #ImComingForGold https://t.co/0uf9HotTp0
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) August 2, 2015
… and on Monday, Tate appeared on The MMA Hour to discuss the fight further. She had some less than flattering thoughts on Correia (transcript via Bloody Elbow):
“It was a pretty quick fight, which I kind of anticipated. I actually thought she might finish it at the end of the first round because I know she really wanted to punish Bethe. But Bethe ended up going down like a sack of potatoes before Ronda could really punish her like she wanted to so I actually think she finished the fight quicker than she wanted to.”
…
“I really don’t think that she is that good yet. I think she really was more full of herself than anything else, and she was really trying to hype herself. I think she had every intention of going out there and winning, and I think she really believed it. But I think she was just treading in too deep of water and was just in over her head.”
Meanwhile, the quick thumping Correia took doesn’t seem to have hurt her confidence any. She released a statement to the Brazilian MMA site Combate on Tuesday, saying she was determined to fight Rousey again next year:
“I promise I will fight for the title next year. In 2016, I want to make a new history. I want, above all, to be respected. I want a triumphant return. I will not accept finishing 2016 without the UFC belt around my waist. All I want, I can do. This will be my battle. If she still has the belt, I will meet her again. I will get that belt. I think one day Ronda will be dethroned and hope I’m the one who will do it. Everyone loses sooner or later.”
That’s some impressive mental fortitude. Rousey crushed Cat Zingano back in February, and she still hasn’t stepped back into the Octagon, telling ESPN she “needed to take some personal time” to “get a full physical and emotional makeover for myself.” If Correia thinks she needs the same, she’s hiding it behind some impressive bravado.
Unfortunately for her, reality has a way of smacking you in the head and dropping you on your face once you step into the Octagon.
(via The MMA Hour)
