Miesha Tate has always been bothered by the narrative surrounding her win over Holly Holm at UFC 196. Despite her sensational bottom-of-the-ninth-round submission triumph in 2016, Tate recalls the way fans interpreted the fight.
“People still believe that I was struggling in that fight,” said Tate, who recently had a tough outing at UFC Austin. “People kept saying, ‘That was an incredible comeback, you were fortunate to secure that submission.'”
Tate acknowledges the remarkable nature of her critical submission of Holm. However, she asserts that she wasn’t as far behind as people perceived. Heading into the fifth and final round, all three judges had Holm leading 38-37, with Tate securing a 10-8 score in the second round. In essence, it was a closely contested battle.
“Yes, the title was at stake, so without the submission, it would have ended in a draw,” Tate explained. “Going by the scorecards, if I had won the final round, it might have resulted in a draw. Very few people seem to remember that. She won the first round 10-9, the second round 10-8 on all three scorecards, the third round 10-9, and in the fourth round, she would have won 10-9. If I had won the fifth round 10-9, it would have tied.”
“So, it’s still frustrating that people think – they always come up to me and say, ‘Oh, she had her done.’ Read all the comments about people getting dominated until they obtain the submission. Not at all.”
Despite this, Tate is eager to prove herself as the superior fighter and has repeatedly called for a rematch with Holm, but it has yet to materialize.
If Tate remains healthy after her recent victory over Julia Avila at UFC Austin, UFC 300 could provide the perfect opportunity for a rematch.
“I think it’s a great time,” Tate expressed. “I think it’s feasible. I did sustain a minor injury in that fight. I will need to undergo an MRI to be sure. But it’s not too serious… I think I’m walking around fine. So, if that’s the case, I believe Holly would be a great opponent.”
Holm has been inactive for five months following her submission loss to Mayra Bueno Silva. However, Silva’s positive test for ADHD medication led to the decision being overturned, meaning Holm is not exempt from defeats.
In her recent outing, Tate utilized her grappling expertise to dominate the scorecards. She emphasized the importance of not forcing positions and maintaining a strategic advantage throughout the fight.
Reflecting on her bout with Holm, Tate acknowledged that she approached it with a different mindset and attempted to implement a strategy that didn’t align with the present moment. While she wasn’t thoroughly dominating her fights, she also wasn’t operating at her full potential.
With the support of a new team and a mental coach, Tate emphasized that she is in top form like never before.
“She was relentless, and I’ll give her credit,” Tate remarked about Holm. “I really pushed her to the limit. Regardless, I believe it would be enjoyable to face her again.”
