Why Did Miesha Tate Choose UFC For Her Return? ONE Championship Founder Gives An Answer

Miesha Tate is going to be making her much-heralded return to the UFC. While Tate will not be the same fighter she once was, the former UFC Bantamweight Champion is still one of the more recognizable names in the sport. However, Tate had ended her relationship with the UFC a while back.

READ MORE: Former UFC Champion Miesha Tate Set for UFC Return on July 17 After a Near 5-Year Lay-Off

Tate has been serving as a Vice President for ONE Championship since 2018. They are the UFC’s primary rival in the Asian markets, boasting a wide range of martial arts outside just MMA. Tate is still in that position but is making a return to the UFC.

Well, ONE Championship founder Chatri Sityodtong has revealed why.

Congratulations to my friend Miesha Tate on her comeback! When she first approached me with the idea several months ago,…

Posted by Chatri Sityodtong on Wednesday, March 24, 2021

If Tate was contractually bound to finish her UFC dates, it is unlikely that the UFC would adhere to it. Especially because it has been almost three years since she joined a rival company. However, it seems State is the driver of that decision. She will continue in her executive position at ONE, but will be fighting inside a UFC Octagon against Marion Reneau, hoping to become champion once again.

Miesha Tate: Are her goals feasible?

Tate is coming back to a very different UFC. After all, she last fought in 2016. However, she is just 34 years old and still has a lot to offer the sport. But is it at the level of a world champion? Her opponent, Marion Reneau, is on her way out of the sport and will have Tate as her final opponent. A spoil-sport goodbye could squash all dreams of a Tate run to the title.

The Bantamweight division has some severe opposition. The champion is still the woman that beat Tate for the belt at UFC 200 in Amanda Nunes. Nunes has solidified herself as the greatest female MMA fighter of all time without debate. And the scary part is that she doesn’t look to be slowing down.

If Tate can rise back to contention and get a rematch against Nunes, that will be a hard fight. The challenges ahead of Tate are steep, but she is battle-tested enough to be able to weather them. Hopefully, her return goes successfully.