No joy for Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey is definitely not coming back until later this year.
Miesha Tate will fight Amanada Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight belt at July’s UFC 200.
The title fight was confirmed by the promotion late on Wednesday night and, handily enough, Tate was around for a mini media tour.
Many had expected Cupcake’s first defence to be against Holm, having appeared open to it after UFC 196. However, Tate revealed she pushed for Nunes as Holm had lost the strap on her first defence:
“It’s not like she was a long-time, reigning champion and I finished the fight. I think the next dangerous women after that is Nunes.”
We don’t think the UFC will be selling it as ‘Miesha Tate v. The next dangerous women after that’.
UFC champ @MieshaTate reacts to the announcement of her title defense against @Amanda_Leoa at #UFC200https://t.co/boQx7dwTjX
— UFC Tonight (@UFCTonight) April 7, 2016
Rousey had been earmarked for UFC 200 after her UFC 193 loss to Holm in November of last year, but she is not yet ready to return.
Nunes (12-4, UFC 5-1) is the fifth-ranked bantamweight fighter. She has won her last three visits to the octagon and was victorious over Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 196.
Holm had reportedly turned down a fight with Cris Cyborg in anticipation of an immediate rematch with Tate. However, her next fight could now be against Cat Zingano.
