Champ Miesha Tate open to fighting at UFC 200, insists all comers welcome to apply

BRISBANE, Australia – UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate today told MMAjunkie that she’s open to the idea of fighting at UFC 200 if there’s room on the card, but she insists she doesn’t have a preference as to who’s standing on the other side of the cage.

“I know that there’s a lot of really top contenders, a lot of girls in the division, that are really chomping at the bit,” Tate told reporters at today’s UFC Fight Night 85 media session in Australia. “I think I’ve been called out by probably everybody in the top-6, if not potentially the top-10. So, they’re all gunning for me, and they’re all dangerous, and they all have their different attributes to bring to the table, so I think my job as the champ is just to stay ready for whoever.

“I’m just going to stay in the gym, and I have to be able to beat every single one of them.”

Tate, of course, wrested away the UFC women’s bantamweight title from then-champ Holly Holm earlier this month, putting “The Preacher’s Daughter” to sleep with a rear-naked choke for the emotional come-from-behind victory.

The thrilling victory left Tate’s next move a little uncertain, as a number of viable options seem have to have some potential marketing value.

A rematch with Holm at this summer’s blockbuster UFC 200 event could make sense. There’s always the potential for a trilogy bout with former UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey, who has downed Tate twice previously.

Then there are other contenders such as Cat Zingano, Amanda Nunes and even Julianna Pena, who all believe they deserve a chance to make some noise at the top of the division. But Tate, who admits she’s still adjusting to life as champion, said she doesn’t believe it’s her duty to pick her next foe.

“Honestly at this point, I don’t really care,” Tate said. “I think that I just need to be ready to handle whatever is thrown my way. I don’t think it’s my job as the champion to pick who’s next. That’s not really what the champion does. The champion fights whoever they say is next and whoever has earned that position.”

Tate is in Australia as a spectator and is serving as a guest fighter at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 85 event, which takes place at Brisbane Entertainment Centre and airs on FOX Sports 1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

UFC officials have yet to reveal when and where Tate will first look to defend her title, but as plans begin to come together for this summer’s historic UFC 200 card, which takes place July in Las Vegas, the champ says she’ll be ready.

But “Cupcake” insists she’s going to be ready for whatever – and more importantly, whoever – the UFC throws at her next.

For more on UFC Fight Night 85 and UFC 200, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.