Miesha Tate’s UFC Future In Doubt

Miesha Tate’s UFC future is uncertain after her recent inconsistent performances.

Tate lost her last fight in May, coming up short against Yana Santos. It was a major setback after Tate came out of retirement for that fight, having walked away following her 2023 win against Julia Avila. Tate has only secured one victory in her last four. While she has a huge win over Holly Holm in 2016, Tate is clearly not the same fighter. Now, Tate has recognized her time could be up in the UFC. 

“I’m not officially done. I still have a fight on my contract. One fight. I wouldn’t fight more than one more time. I’m not looking to re-sign. I think just one more, if that, but I haven’t decided for sure. I might be leaning towards not [fighting again]. You’d have to ask [the UFC to do a boxing match], but I’m not. Boxing, for real? Like, I’m not gonna go do that,” Tate said 

Options

An opponent for her final fight could be Pannie Kianzad. Kianzad (16-7) is a durable, well-rounded fighter who has consistently faced tough competition. Kianzad’s style would allow Tate to showcase her wrestling and grappling, which remain her strengths. And given that Kianzad has lost her last three bouts, now could be the perfect time to face her.

Another intriguing option, though less likely, would be a rematch against Cat Zingano. The two have a history, with Zingano winning their first bout by TKO in 2013. The stoppage was controversial, as Tate’s face was battered and bloody, but many felt the fight was stopped prematurely. A rematch would provide a sense of closure for Tate. Zingano is currently with Bellator, though, making that fight more complicated.

While she has publicly stated she is “not gonna go do that,” a foray into crossover boxing would be a massive financial opportunity and a chance to take on a lower-risk opponent.