Bethe Correia’s call-out of Miesha Tate this week garnered a lukewarm response from the former Strikeforce Champ, but led to further back and forth between the two on social media this week.
It began with Tate responding to someone on Twitter who suggested she take the “easy” money fight against Correia after the call out.
Well all know @bethecorreia isn’t the brightest bulb on the tree. #MerryChristmas https://t.co/qso4zUfYWa
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) November 29, 2015
That led to a response from Correia, to which Tate had yet another comment to make.
@MieshaTate @JimmyClarke and his star has blotted out! you should retire. It’s the best you can do. UFC has no interest in you! — Bethe (@bethecorreia) November 30, 2015
@bethecorreia why don’t you worry about yourself before you get knocked out in 20 seconds again.
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) November 30, 2015
Correia didn’t want Tate to have the final word, so she came back with one more dig on Tate’s current contender status:
@MieshaTate The person who falls knows how to succeed and shine through.Soon I’ll be fighting for the belt while you sit and wait.Retire!kkk — Bethe (@bethecorreia) November 30, 2015
Penick’s Analysis: Tate’s shrugged it off a bit, but the Correia fight is absolutely one to take for her. Correia’s got a name from which Tate could benefit, and it’s not a fight that really represents much in the way of adversity for Tate. It’s not meant as disrespect to Correia, but the simple fact of the division is that Correia has proven nothing. Tate has beaten much better fighters, and her losses have all come to elite competition. Correia, at this stage in her career, does not represent elite competition, and Tate could bolster her title hopes by taking the Brazilian out in a high profile matchup. The fight might just be the right one to make for Tate, and if she wants to be back in title contention, it may be the best way for her to get there.
[Photo (c) Jayne Kamin-Oncea via USA Today Sports]
“. . .the Correia fight is absolutely one to take for her.”
I have to respectfully disagree. I don’t see any reason for Tate to jeopardize her place in the title picture (she’s in the top 2), especially when Rousey, who she struggles against, could be out for a while.
The Holms/Rousey rematch is a done deal. Meisha should fight Cyborg (lots of people would watch that). Cyborg can prove she can make weight, and is up to the UFC challenge. Meisha can prove how tough she is. If Meisha beats Cyborg then she fights the winner of the Holms /Rousey rematch for the title. Cyborg fights the loser of the rematch. If Cyborg beats the loser, then she is next in line for the title. Gives the UFC fights for the whole year. Meisha and Cyborg in February or March. Rematch in July UFC 200. Winners/losers battle again in November.
I’ll disagree with that. I hardly think that a fight against Correia jeopardizes Tate’s chances, as Correia is horrible. In the meantime, get paid, move through another fight on your contract, and stay sharp. Sounds like the earliest Holm v. Rousey is happening is July, which means Tate’s earliest title shot would probably be around October. That would be 15 months without a fight and without getting $.