Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate retired after a unanimous decision defeat to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205. Despite hanging up the gloves just months ago, MMA Junkie Radio recently asked Tate if she would return to action to compete in the UFC’s brand new women’s featherweight division.
“At this point, it’s not even on the radar, so I can’t say that will probably happen, because I don’t think that it will,” Tate said.
Tate is only one of two women in MMA history to hold both the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title and the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Title, with the other being longtime rival Ronda Rousey. Tate has been happy in her self imposed retirement, so don’t expect a return to the Octagon unless something out of the ordinary happens.
“I’m really happy in the retirement, honestly,” she said. “I’ve just been really enjoying myself and figuring out a little bit more about who I am beyond Miesha the fighter. It’s been a very interesting process, so I’m really enjoying that. I don’t have any plans to come back, or even any desire to. So unless that drastically changes, I don’t see myself going back in there. It’s an all-or-none sport. It’s got to be 110 percent, or not at all for me. So unless something makes me want to get back in there like a crazy person, I won’t be.”
Tate won the UFC Women’s bantamweight Title by defeating Holly Holm at UFC 196, she would lose it in her first defense to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200. Tate now works for the UFC on their Fox broadcasts.
