“It’s one thing to believe you can, and it’s another thing once you’ve done it. Once you’ve done it, you feel so much more confident. I believed I could, but I’ve proven it to the rest of the world. So it just puts you on this elevated level of confidence… I have nothing but respect for [Holly Holm]. She was a very tough opponent, but I’m even more confident going into a second fight because I didn’t push the pace on the ground when I got her on the ground, and now I feel very confident that I could have caught her sooner. So I think I would get a submission a lot earlier in a rematch, if that were to happen… [Holm] said from the very beginning, ‘I want to be an active champion, and I don’t want to wait for Ronda.’ So she was doing what she wanted, and I was the girl next in line, so that’s what she had to do. Now, I have beaten Holly, I’ve finished Holly, and now I want to fight the next girl in line. Now, I’m giving Amanda [Nunes] that chance, if you want to look at it that way.”
-UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate talks to MMAJunkie.com about why she feels a rematch with Holly Holm would be even more convincing in her favor, and why she’s taking the Amanda Nunes fight next at UFC 200.
Penick’s Analysis: It’s a fair argument regarding Holm’s desire to fight against the next competitor, but the big difference between the two situations is Tate wouldn’t have had to wait for Holm, that fight could have happened when she’s returning at UFC 200. Still, taking on the next fighter in line is fine. As to the rematch, it’s absolutely possible Tate can fight better in a rematch with the knowledge that she’s already stopped Holm; that’s not to say Holm herself won’t fight a better fight in that eventual rematch, but thinking you can beat someone and knowing you have are two different mindsets.
[Photo (c) Mark J. Rebilas via USA Today Sports]
Attention iPhone/iPad and Android users, if you’ve enjoyed our app in the past and followed us there, or if you’ve never checked it out, make sure to update to the latest version in the Apple store and/or Google Play store. We’ve launched a new look for the app, in line with our recent desktop overhaul. Make sure to check it out!
For current App users, swipe right to view next article, swipe left to view previous article.
Leave a Reply