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UFC president Dana White is fond of saying there are no tune-up fights in the UFC — and for the most part, he’s right. There really aren’t many. But Miesha Tate did get one this year.
Tate (19-7) returned from a nearly five-year layoff in July and picked up a dominant TKO win over Marion Reneau at UFC Fight Night. No disrespect to Reneau whatsoever. She enjoyed a six-year career in the UFC, which is not easy. But that July bout was her retirement fight and her fifth loss in a row. And her style was tailor made for Tate.
All of that is to say that Tate’s comeback truly begins, in earnest, on Saturday, when she meets Ketlen Vieira (11-2) in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. Tate deserves credit for looking comfortable, aggressive and in peak physical condition in July following such a long layoff, but for this comeback to be real, Saturday is the true litmus test.
Vieira, 30, has flirted with title contention but hasn’t quite cemented her place in the conversation. She is 5-2 in the UFC and ranked No. 7 overall by the promotion.
She’s been a betting favorite in her four most recent fights, including this one. That places Tate in the role of underdog, a rarity for her. The last time it happened was in March 2016, when she upset Holly Holm to win the UFC bantamweight championship. Since then, she’s been favored in three consecutive bouts, including against Amanda Nunes back at UFC 200.
Tate, who retired in 2016 to pursue other interests and start a family, has made it clear her goal is to reclaim her UFC title. She told ESPN this week that if she gets past…
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Source : espn
