Why Miesha Tate is a Bad Match-Up for UFC Champ Holly Holm

With the benefit of hindsight it was clear that Ronda Rousey was headed for a fall.

Yes, she was fresh off a string of incredible victories, but she was also fighting way too often in 2015, battling overseas in Australia, experiencing turmoil in her camp, plunging into the world of acting, and then stepping into the cage against a tall boxer — the perfect antidote to Rousey’s venom.

Holly Holm should learn from that lesson. No matter how good you are, there’s always a perfect storm around the corner ready to take you out. That storm could come in the form of Miesha Tate.

Holm will battle Tate in the biggest women’s fight ever not involving Rousey at UFC 197. And she better be careful to not make the same mistake as Rousey. Holm has much more to lose than Rousey does.

Rousey is sort of like Lady Gaga. It doesn’t matter if Gaga ever has another hit; she’s firmly rooted in our popular culture and will always enjoy mainstream media attention and celebrity. Rousey too isn’t going anywhere. Even if she never again wins a fight, Rousey is headed to Hollywood and is going to be with us for a long, long time. And she’s going to make a lot of money doing it.

Holm, on the other hand, won’t have it that easy. She’s not Rousey. Holm pulled off the amazing victory, but it will take time for her to establish herself as a great mixed martial artist, not just the woman who knocked out Ronda Rousey. Anyone know what James “Buster” Douglas is up to these days? And who watched Mike Tyson fall off that Hoverboard? Yep. you did.

Holm is stepping into dangerous territory against Tate, who probably, dare I say it, is the greatest all-around female mixed martial artist in the world. Tate does just about everything well. Rousey does one thing REALLY well. Holm takes tests REALLY WELL. She needed to get an A+ on the test known as Rousey, so she studied really well and pulled it off. But can she keep straight A’s all the way? Other than the judo throw and the arm bar, Tate is better than Rousey in every way.

Tate has great ground game, she hits and kicks hard, has strong Muay Thai and a great chin. And she’s a pretty good boxer. This is a bad fight for Holm.

Holm needs to remember a few things: the Rousey that she fought was not the same Rousey. Tate probably could have stopped Rousey that night. That’s how bad Rousey performed.

Holm had better be careful not to fall into the same trap as so many before: Douglas, Rousey, Pete Carroll. One mistake and you end up out in the cold.

Holm should have pushed for a rematch with Rousey, and make megabucks. If she beat her again, the fight with Tate would still be there. If she lost to Rousey, a third fight with Rousey would have been amazing at the box office.

What happens if Holm loses to Tate? Guess what the next “big” fight is going to be? Yep, Rousey vs. Tate III. Holm would end up on the undercard getting rattled by someone like Cat Zingano.

Now that the strap is off of Rousey, expect the UFC women’s bantamweight championship to change hands like Vince Russo was booking it. Holm better be ready to pull many all-nighters studying to get another A+ when she takes on Tate.

Holm has so much more to lose than a championship belt.

Follow Joshua Molina on Twitter: @JECMolina