Miesha Tate Eyes UFC Title as Ex-Champ Prepares for May Return After 17-Month Layoff

Once a dominant force in the octagon, Meisha Tate’s professional fighting career has seen a rather steep fall. However, despite only having won four of her last six fights, the former women’s bantamweight champion is gearing up for what could be her final push toward reclaiming the title.

Tate, a trailblazer in women’s MMA, last stepped into the octagon in December 2023, where she secured a third-round submission victory over Julia Avila. Now, at 38 years old, she is ready to return to action on May 3 to face Yana Santos.

“It’s official: May 3rd vs Yana Santos. I’ve still got what it takes and if you doubt me, please stick around. Mark your calendars.”, she posted on Instagram.

Now, a 17-month layoff would be a nightmare scenario for most but Tate has made better comebacks before.

After losing to Raquel Pennington in 2016 at UFC 205, she essentially retired for 5 years. In an interview with the UFC, she claimed that she was ready to be back like ‘John Wick’ and was chasing the gold again.

And it was a great comeback story, at least for some time. Immediately upon her return to the octagon, she secured a TKO win over Marion Reneau. However, her joy was short-lived as she faced back-to-back losses against Ketlen Vieira and Lauren Murphy.

This is not something she can afford again, especially at this stage in her career.

While Tate is widely recognized for her intense rivalry with Ronda Rousey, whom she faced twice, once in Strikeforce and once in the UFC, she remains focused on the future rather than past rivalries.

Speaking on SiriusXM, the former bantamweight champion explained how close she believes she is to another title shot and said, “If I come out with a good, dominant win, which I certainly think I’m very capable of in this fight… and I’m continuing to move that, two solid wins in a row, maybe one more, maybe a quick title shot and then that’s it.”

However, as much as we all love a good comeback story, this will not be an easy job. 3 top-tier fights at 38 is a tall task. That said, the benefit of the doubt must be given to the former champion in light of her accomplishments.

Back in 2016, when she faced Holly Holm for the title, Tate didn’t know what was at stake going into the championship rounds. She had fallen behind on the scorecards and needed to finish Holm in the 5th round for a win.

And guess what, she had the ‘preacher’s daughter’ tap out to claim the 135 lbs belt, a moment she had often claimed was symbolic of her life.

Tate credits MMA for changing her life

“I always had to push through adversity, and I had so many battles before that victory. And I feel like that fight summed up my career and kind of summed up my life at that point. I was never starting out ahead, but I always had to find a way to win.“, she said.

The struggles inside the octagon and the subsequent victories over them have made Tate a stronger person outside it. Be it coming back from pregnancy, childbirth, and retirement, or mental health issues, she has often credited her journey in mixed martial arts for helping her get through it.

In an episode of her podcast, Tate invited fellow former UFC champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk to discuss the evolution of women in MMA. During their conversation, she reflected on having entered the sport with an all-or-nothing mindset, striving to be the best at any cost.

However, over time, she came to appreciate the strength and resilience she developed through it. “I think if I had never done this sport, I would have never discovered just how tough I am. That’s probably one of the things I’m most grateful for.”, Tate claimed. 

Interestingly, she has also made it a point to speak to professional athletes to let them know that there is more to life than this unique obsession with winning. The dawn of his sentiment has been a rather slow-burn journey for Tate, but it is one she vicariously advocates for.