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

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate spoke to ESPN briefly and announced her return to the sport of MMA. Tate will return against aging veteran Marion Reneau in what will be her final fight with the UFC. ‘Cupcake Tate’ last fought all the way at UFC 205 in November 2016 where she lost to Raquel Pennington.

While Tate has been out of the game for a while, she’s been within the landscape of the sport with ONE Championship. She worked as an executive for the Asian promotion and had children during her time away from the sport. Miesha Tate was certainly hyped to return to action on July 17. However, the UFC is yet to come out with an official announcement.

“My heart is full of passion. The fire has been lit!” Tate told ESPN via text message. “The sport has been calling for me, it’s time I answer.”

The details of the ‘UFC Fight Night’ card for July 17 are largely unknown as it stands. However, it’s safe to assume the UFC will build a strong card around her return. Miesha Tate was one of the biggest female MMA stars who carried the sport on her back. Her feud with Ronda Rousey is a thing of legend and helped to define the career of both women.

Miesha Tate: An Overview

Tate began her career back in November 2007 and went 14-2 until running into legendary champion Ronda Rousey. During her come-up, she captured championship gold with the Strikeforce organization and made it clear she was a legitimate threat. Her UFC run got off to a rocky start with two straight losses off the jump. However, she then went on a five-fight win streak and captured UFC gold.

‘Cupcake’ began entertaining retirement after losing her championship belt to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. In hindsight, there’s no shame in having lost to ‘The Lioness’ who has gone on to become the GWOAT in MMA.

Fans are excited to see what Miesha Tate brings to the table after several years away from the high-level competition. She’s been training out of Vegas and could potentially have another championship run in her at 34-years of age.

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