When Miesha Tate returned from retirement, Holly Holm hoped she might get her chance to avenge a previous loss. The rematch did not happen.
After losing to Tate in the first defense of her UFC bantamweight title back in 2016, Holm thought a second fight made perfect sense. When Tate made her comeback this past year, “Cupcake” focused on slowly getting back into the title race at 135 pounds. Holm, meanwhile, was sitting near the top of the divisional rankings.
Tate lost to Ketlen Veira in the final round, which forced her to change to flyweight. That seemingly nixed the rematch with Holm, but it turns out the ex-UFC champion wasn’t all that upset.
“It’s one of those things, too, where I would love to avenge that loss, but with that being said, I also don’t want to do it just to do it,” Holm told MMA Fighting. It’s only a good idea if it makes sense. So if she loses and then goes to flyweight and she’s over doing all this stuff, it doesn’t really make sense. If she was on a winning streak, I’d love to fight her.
” I want the best for you. I don’t want to get what’s left or what’s different or what’s changed or anything like that. I would want to do it when it makes sense. When it’s a challenge, when it’s something I want to do. It might work in the long-term. Maybe she’ll get some wins under her belt and then it’s an exciting rematch. That makes sense to me.”
Vieira will now face Holm in UFC Vegas ‘s main event Saturday. This fight could possibly crown a No. 1 contender in the bantamweight division. With a long-term goal of becoming champion again, the 40-year-old veteran would rather keep her focus on that rather than chasing a rematch against Tate.
“I want to do it when she’s on a win streak, not when she’s lost,” Holm said. “I know Ketlen is very tough. I’m not saying Miesha isn’t good enough or didn’t do well, it’s just that I want somebody if I’m going to rematch her where it’s like, ‘She’s on a streak,’ and I want to avenge my loss against her when she’s at her best. It shouldn’t be like “Let’s make it happen because it should.” I want the fight to be exciting.
“Who knows? She might go to 125, get wins, and then return to 135,. But I would like to know where she is at all times. If it makes sense then it’s amazing .”
Tate had been retired for almost five years and Holm was already moving on from that rematch. She’s now taking the same approach when they compete in different weight classes.
“I’d rather just prove myself with whatever fights come my way that are challenging,” Holm said. “I want it always to go forward for the belt. Not just to do it, to do it.”
This website uses cookies.