Since Ronda Rousey won't, Miesha Tate says she'll fight 'Cyborg' at 140 pounds

Miesha Tate

Miesha Tate has a lot on her plate. Her immediate focus remains on Saturday’s UFC on FOX 16 co-main event bout with Jessica Eye. If victorious, a third fight with women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey could be on the horizon.

Tate (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) said she is a goal-orientated athlete always searching for the biggest opportunities. Earning another crack at Rousey (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) is her top priority, as she said during a Q&A session with fans earlier this year:

However, if she gets by Eye (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), whom she meets in Saturday’s FOX-televised co-headliner at Chicago’s United Center, a matchup with MMA’s other top female star, Cristiane Justino (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), could be an option.

Although it’s not in her immediate plans, Tate said during a recent Q&A that she would be open to the matchup at a 140-pound catchweight. “Cyborg” responded in kind following her 45-second victory and title defense over Faith Van Duin at Invicta FC 13 earlier this month.

“It all started at a fan Q&A in Manila when a fan asked me if I would fight ‘Cyborg’ at 140 because Ronda wasn’t willing to,” Tate told MMAjunkie. “I said, ‘Of course I would.’ It has to make sense, but I would do it. Then the media took it and ran saying I challenged ‘Cyborg,’ and Cris took it very positively. She knows what I meant. Her and I are friends. It’s nothing personal, but it’s the kind of attitude a fighter should have because it’s a challenge and I wouldn’t run away from it.”

Cristiane Justino

For several years, MMA fans have called for a showdown between Rousey and “Cyborg,” arguably the sport’s top two stars. It’s never come close to fruition, though, since the rivals have been unable to decide on a weight at which the fight would take place.

Rousey is the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and said she shouldn’t have to leave her 135-pound weight class for anyone. “Rowdy” dabbled at 145 pounds early in her career, but eventually she settled at 135 pounds and has been unstoppable through 11 pro fights.

“Cyborg” has a similar reign of dominance – but at featherweight. She’s spent several years running through overmatched featherweights and is undefeated since her first pro bout in May 2005.

Rousey is adamant if a “Cyborg” bout takes place, it’s going to be under her terms. That means the Brazilian must find a way to cut to 135 pounds, a weight which she’s never made before. Rousey’s unwillingness to afford “Cyborg” any advantages stems from her disdain over Justino’s 2011 failed drug test.

Tate said she wouldn’t require the same strict terms if the opportunity to fight “Cyborg” materialized. She said she would gladly gain some weight for a 140-pound catchweight since it’d be so high-profile.

“I think her and I are on the same page that if that opportunity presented itself at 140, we would both accept the fight.” Tate said. “As far as the logistics of it, I have no idea how that would work with the UFC. Obviously I’m fighting with the UFC, so I’m not going to leave to go over to Invicta and do a catchweight. It would have to happen inside the UFC octagon. They would have to agree to put on a catchweight of 140, which I don’t even know if they really do that anymore or if they would do that.

“I haven’t talked to (UFC President) Dana White or (UFC matchmaker) Sean Shelby about that either, so I don’t know what their take is on it.”

Tate said she knows she’d be considered the underdog. However, “Cupcake” said she would embrace the challenge. Tate has consistency fought the world’s top competition since her pro debut in November 2007.

“That’d be an incredible fight; Cris has established herself as one of the most, if not the most, dominant female athlete out there,” Tate said. “Her presence is just like, ‘Wow.’ She’s very impressive. To get in there and fight her would be a huge honor. Having a chance of beating her is like, ‘Wow.’ If I were the one to take down Goliath, why wouldn’t I want that opportunity?

“She’s crushed everyone else, so if I could go out there and pull off what everyone thinks is impossible, then how much does my stock go up? A lot.”

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