Ronda Rousey announces Miesha Tate's next fight: Jessica Eye for No. 1 contender

Miesha Tate

RIO DE JANEIRO – The UFC usually scolds fighters for prematurely announcing big fights. When it’s women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey, the brass will make an exception.

Rousey today announced an upcoming title eliminator between Miesha Tate (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and Jessica Eye (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), who both have been on win streaks in the UFC’s octagon.

“Let’s say when I beat Bethe (Correia), we’re also going to have Miesha Tate versus Jessica Eye, and I think I’ll be fighting the winner of that after I beat Bethe,” the champ said during a news conference announcing her headliner with Correia at UFC 190 and promoting July’s UFC 189.

The press conference took place at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanazinho Gym, which hosts Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 62.

Although Rousey said the title eliminator would take place at UFC 190, UFC President Dana White later clarified to MMAjunkie that it will take place in early summer. White initially wasn’t up to speed on the date and asked Tate, who was in attendance, for a timeframe.

“We weren’t supposed to talk about it here today, but Ronda wanted to, so we let her,” White said. “They’re going to fight. Sometime in June.”

As usual, there’s no love lost between Rousey and Tate, who twice fought with Rousey winning via armbar on both occasions.

“I think that’s the first time I saw Miesha look up from liking her own picture on Instagram,” Rousey added after announcing the fight. Tate was in attendance in Rio as a guest fighter for Saturday’s event.

Tate has won three straight since losing a rematch to Rousey at UFC 168, beating onetime title challengers Liz Carmouche and Sara McMann in addition to Rin Nakai. Eye, meanwhile, earned her first win this past November with a second-round TKO of Leslie Smith. A previous win over ex-Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman was overturned when she tested positive for marijuana.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.