Why Miesha Tate can end all hope of a Holm v Rousey rematch
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UFC star Ronda Rousey has made it her personal mission to reclaim the 134lb title from rival Holly Holm.
The former champion has not been shy in seeking out a rematch and while her plight has captured the imagination of many UFC fans one person who could not care less is Miesha Tate.
The 29-year-old, affectionately known as Cupcake, takes on Holm at UFC 196 and claims that all talk of a title rematch between The Preachers’ Daughter and Rousey will be dead in the water after this weekend.
Tate admits that she’d be interested to see how a rematch between the two will pan out but said the duo will have to duke it out with no title at stake as she’ll be walking off with the belt.
“If that’s what [Ronda] wants, sorry, but I’m going to ruin that for her. If they want to make that rematch happen, that’s how I see it going down because on Saturday I’m going to go in there, and I’m confident that I’m going to win the belt,” she said.
“So they’re definitely going to have to adjust the game plan. I would like to see Holly and Ronda fight again, but it just may not be for the belt.”
Despite Tate’s confidence she goes into the bout as the 27/10 outsider, with Holm the firm favourite at 10/33.
However, according to Cage Rank there could be some value in backing the younger woman, who boasts some impressive stats.
The website suggests a close match but rates Tate’s chances of success at 52 per cent, saying the underdog is actually superior when it comes to securing submissions, avoiding being knocked out, avoiding submissions and defending against being finished quickly.
Holm, who is five years Tates’ senior is better at knocking out good defenders and comes into the game on a win streak 2.5 times longer than her opponent, having won her last four, but she could have her work cut out in her first title defence.
Stats will quickly go out the window once these women step inside the Octagon but with Holm odds on the value could be out there for the number crunchers.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
