UFC 196 title challenger Miesha Tate: 'I'm back in the game, ladies and gentlemen'

Miesha Tate has been on a career rollercoaster in recent months. After being told she was next up for a title shot this past July, Tate was bumped out of the picture in favor of Holly Holm challenging then-champion Ronda Rousey.

“It really kind of shot me in the heart,” Tate (17-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) said at the time. When Holm (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) knocked out Rousey (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in a shocking upset, it seemed a blessing and a curse for Tate. A title shot seemed on the table against Holm, something the UFC seemed hesitant to allow with Rousey after she’d twice defeated Tate.

However, the UFC planned a rematch between Rousey and Holm with an initial planned date of UFC 200. With Rousey unable to compete and Holm not wanting to stay on the sidelines, Tate got the call and now fights for the title at UFC 196, which takes place Saturday from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Before the opportunity presented itself, Tate was considering retirement. A result, she said at today’s media luncheon, of feeling that her opportunity to once again fight for the belt would never come.

“I was considering retiring out of frustration, not out of feeling like I didn’t have what it takes anymore,” Tate said. “Just thinking that I don’t get to choose when I fight for the title. That they could tell me, ‘Oh, you’re fighting for the title,’ then you’re not. My fate was in someone else’s hands and I was frustrated thinking that, ‘Well, I’m not in this for a participation ribbon.’ I definitely want to become the UFC champion at one point. That’s definitely on my career bucket list. To me, that was something they were telling me was never going to be an option. That was something that was, ‘Oh, well. Then what am I doing.’ Fate has a way of working itself out and opportunity can present itself so that destiny can fulfill itself. That’s where I think I’m at with this.”

Tate said she was as shocked as anyone when Holm scored her head kick knockout of Rousey.

But she knew the moment was a game changer for her.

“My attitude had a complete 180 when I Holly knocked out Ronda,” Tate said. “I thought, ‘Well, there we go. I’m back in. I’m back in the game, ladies and gentlemen.’”

There is some thinking that Tate is still a third-wheel in the women’s bantamweight title scene. She’s the underdog in the fight, but also is the person standing in the way of a potentially huge money rematch.

For those worried about never seeing Rousey rematch Holm, Tate said that the bout can always take place. Even if she’s the champion.

“I want to see it again to see if (the upset) was real, too,” Holm said. “I’m 100 percent on that page. But they just might have to accept the terms that it won’t be a title fight because I’m going to have the belt.”

Check out the full video of Tate’s media luncheon above.

For more on UFC 196, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.