...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Miesha Tate picked up her first UFC win on Saturday, taking a decision over Liz Carmouche to snap her two-fight losing streak. With the win behind her, she was already looking ahead to potential opponents for her next fight.
One name that popped up at the post-fight press conference was Gina Carano, whom has been in conversations with the UFC about making a return to MMA after a five-year absence. Tate immediately expressed interest, and said that's absolutely a fight she wants to take.
"I'd like it," Tate said (via MMAJunkie.com). "I'll take that fight all day long, for sure. I mean, I'll fight anybody, but I'd love to fight Gina."
White said that the UFC's talks with Carano are serious, but that nothing will happen until a deal is done.
"I'm confident that we will [sign a new deal], but we'll see what happens," White said. "Until we have a deal, we're not even thinking about anything."
Tate will be out to perform better regardless her next time out, as she admitted after the fight that she was mentally a bit off in the early going.
"There's a fine line for me between thinking and going," Tate commented. "When I go, that's what happens in the third round. When I'm thinking, that's what happens in the first round."
"It took me a minute, to be like, 'Hey, you know what? I've got to go'... I'm definitely capable of better. Anyone who's ever seen me knows it's not typical for me to start slow, but I did this fight. I'm over the hurdle now. I won the fight, and I'm happy. I got my first UFC victory, and I think that's going to motivate me more."
Penick's Analysis: Tate-Carano makes all the sense in the world right now. Tate's a major name for this women's division given her feud with Ronda Rousey, but because of those two losses to the Champ she's not going to be in the title picture anytime soon. Carano, meanwhile, hasn't fought in five years, and if and when she does come back it's going to necessitate some type of name opponent. Giving her Rousey off the bat wouldn't have made sense, but giving her Tate means both a credible opponent and a name for her to fight. If she's going to fight again, Tate's the name you go with.
DON'T GO YET... WE SUGGEST THESE MMATORCH ARTICLES, TOO!
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
