Tuesday, March 1, 2016 | 2 a.m.
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Ronda Rousey told TMZ last week that she hoped Holly Holm defeated Miesha Tate in the co-main event of UFC 196 Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The former women’s bantamweight champion would rather have a crack at avenging her only career loss than a chance at further tormenting an old rival for a third time.
“I want to be the one to beat (Holm),” Rousey said. “I don’t want anyone else to take the honor of beating her besides myself.”
Most greeted the news with a shrug. The common sentiment was, of course Rousey would prefer securing the biggest fight available against an opponent that beat her so badly she briefly contemplated suicide.
Tate reacted differently. The 29-year-old local was skeptical of Rousey’s stated preference.
“I think she wants to believe that but I don’t know if deep down she does,” Tate said. “I think Ronda would be intimidated to fight Holly again, but I’m not saying she wouldn’t.”
Tate doesn’t intend to give Rousey that option — not if the UFC’s biggest star wants her belt back. The winner of the UFC 196 women’s bantamweight championship bout is expected to defend her title against Rousey sometime in the fall.
Tate can’t foresee Holm’s championship boxing background posing the same problems to her as it did to Rousey at UFC 193 last November. Tate says qualities including her wrestling ability and attacking style make her designed to give fighters like Holm trouble.
“I just know from the bottom of the heart that this was exactly what was meant to be,” Tate said. “I was supposed to go through those trials and tribulations. I was supposed to lose to Ronda two times. She was supposed to lose to Holly, and now I’m supposed to beat Holly. That was just the way it was supposed to go. It’s destiny; it’s fate. I know it.”
Before Holm pulled the biggest upset in UFC history over Rousey, Tate looked like the loser from the situation. She was promised the title shot against Rousey, and the UFC didn’t even inform her that it was going with Holm instead before publicly announcing the matchup.
Tate was uncertain about her future and even considering retirement as she settled in to watch Rousey vs. Holm. Her demeanor changed as Holm hurt Rousey and stormed out to an early advantage.
“I was pretty surprised after the first round and I was curious to see what adjustments would be made in the second round, and there were no adjustments made on Rousey’s side,” Tate said. “They continued the same game plan and that led her to her fate essentially.”
Tate got back to training almost as soon as Rousey fell to the canvas unconscious inside the first minute of the second round. She knew she would get the next shot at Holm.
Even when the promotion insisted it would hold out for a rematch between Rousey and Holm in July at UFC 200, Tate believed it wouldn’t happen.
“I thought Ronda would be out with injury for too long and I was pretty certain that was going to happen when she said she wasn’t going to be able to bite into an apple for six months and they wanted her to fight in seven months,” Tate said. “I was like, ‘this is a no-brainer, guys.’”
Holm was as determined to stay active as Tate anticipated, leading to the fight getting booked without much delay. The new matchup reinforced Tate’s belief that Holm’s win was the best thing to ever happen to the 135-pound women’s division, and not just from a personal angle.
“Because that was the biggest scrutiny we had: That we had no depth, and Ronda was going to run through everybody,” Tate said.
It’s quite the transformation for Rousey, who’s gone from being seen as an impenetrable force to having some question her willingness to fight certain opponents. And it’s not only Tate hinting as much.
Holm’s manager Lenny Fresquez has also suggested Rousey was unsure about a rematch.
Tate only sees one way it could possibly happen regardless.
“They can make the matchup with (Holm) not as the champion if that’s something they really want,” Tate said. “They can put that together. It just won’t be a title fight.”
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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