‘I Had No Other Choice’- Miesha Tate Reveals Why She Retired From MMA Five Years Ago

MMA veteran and former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will make her long-awaited return to the octagon this Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs Moises. The American will compete in a professional octagon match in nearly 5 years.

A career that has seen her reach the zenith of women’s division in both UFC and Strikeforce, will breathe fresh air again as she takes on the number 12 ranked bantamweight Marion Reneau.

‘Cupcake’ last featured in a match against Raquel Pennington at UFC 205: McGregor vs Alvarez. Prior to that match, she had lost her bantamweight gold to the ‘Lioness’ Amanda Nunes.

In a video released on the official Instagram handle of UFC, ‘Cupcake’ detailed her decision to retire from the sport she loved the most. She also gave insights into what she plans to do as she starts a new chapter.

“It was the first time that I ever took a stance like, ‘No… I’m tired of this… this is what I want and you are not gonna tell me different,” Tate said.

“Because, at that moment, I had no other choice. I realized my problem was never with the sport of MMA. It wasn’t,” she added.

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Tate then showed her appreciation for the sport and revealed what she has in mind for now. “I love the sport more than ever and I’m grateful that I can be at a positive place and good position to move forward and show like really the best version of myself and that’s what I’m gonna do,” she added.

What Miesha Tate wants people to remember her with?

Tate (18-7) is one of the pioneering fighters to bring women’s MMA into global recognition. Along with Ronda Rousey, people credit her too for changing Dana White’s opinion of women not being allowed to compete in UFC.

People generally align fighters with championships, fame, and stardom, and all these things belong to Tate. But she wants people to remember her in a different way of thinking.

“To be honest, I don’t care to be remembered as a pioneer, I don’t care to be remembered as tough, you know, as a champion,” she said. “What I want people to take away is that I’m a human being, and I persevered. Because I think everyone can do that in their life.”

This Saturday, she will have a chance to set again on the path that led her to the recognition she has now. With the determination she has, she is looking to go a long way, again.

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