This evening we learned that a former UFC champion is ready to step back inside the octagon. MMA Mania reported earlier tonight that former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate (19-9) is ready to get back inside the octagon and she will be on December 2nd as she takes on the returning Julia Avila (9-2).
The December 2nd event will be a UFC Fight Night and at this time, there’s no location confirmed for the event. Let’s start with Avila who will be making the walk for the first time since June 2021. If you want to talk about a fighter who has had some bad luck with matchups being booked, look no further than Julia Avila.
Between July 2019 and June 2021, Avila had a total of nine fights that were either cancelled or postponed after they were initially finalized. Her last fight came against Julija Stollarenko where she won by third round submission. That win earned her a fight against now top contender Raquel Pennington. However, Avila suffered a knee injury and we haven’t seen her since. Now, she’ll get to return against a former UFC champion.
UFC Fight Night
After retiring back in 2016, Miesha Tate made her return to the UFC in July 2021 with a TKO win over Marion Reneau. Later in the year, she was booked against Ketlen Vieira in a fight where had she won, she might’ve been in line for a shot at the bantamweight title. However, she lost a decision.
Then, she decided to move down to flyweight. She was booked against former title challenger Lauren Murphy last July. Again, it was looked at as a fight where Tate could earn herself a title shot had she won. Murphy completed dominated the former champion and then the future didn’t look bright for Tate.
Tate decided to move back up to the division where she became champion and took a fight against Mayra Bueno Silva back in June. However, the former UFC champ suffered an injury and had to pull out of the fight. Holly Holm took her spot and of course went on to lose to Bueno Silva.
Tate is recovered and she’s ready to get back inside the octagon. With the new landscape at 135, Tate is not far off from a title shot. With a win in December and perhaps a couple of wins in 2024, she could be right in the mix.
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