Las Vegas, NV- Miesha Tate says there is still hope for the women’s featherweight division.
The former bantamweight champion and women’s MMA legend Tate (19-7) returns this weekend for her second fight since returning from retirement earlier this year. While there were rumors of her competing at featherweight when she announced her comeback, Tate instead chose to go back to the division where she had reigned as champion.
While the women’s featherweight division in the UFC appears to be on life support and perhaps close to being shut down, Tate believes the UFC should keep it open— and bring two huge names into it.
“Oh man, I like the 145lb division. I would hate to see any division cut from the UFC; we haven’t seen that done yet. I say bring in Kayla Harrison, pump some life into the 145lb division, and go all in. So, that would be what I would like to see happen,” Tate told Cageside Press during UFC Vegas 43 media day on Wednesday. “Obviously, Bellator has a great 145lb division. I would love to see Cris Cyborg come back over, too, at some point. But you know, we’ll see. There are talented women, and the division is starting to fill out.”
“There is that saying; if you build it, they will come,” added Tate. “So I don’t think we should give up on it.”
With the previous toxic relationship between Cyborg and the UFC, that relationship’s likelihood of being rebuilt will probably never happen. However, the addition of current PFL champion Harrison could be enough to spark some life into the women’s featherweight division.
Watch the rest of Miesha Tate’s UFC Vegas 43 media day interview above. More coverage from the event can be found below. The card goes down this Saturday, November 20, 2021 at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tate faces Ketlen Vieira in the main event.
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Miesha Tate
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Sean Brady
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Joanne Wood
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Michael Chiesa
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Ketlen Vieira
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Davey Grant
