UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Miesha Tate has had plenty of big fights and big moments in her career. If all goes according to plan, the bar will be raised Saturday at UFC on ABC 3.
Tate (19-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC), a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, makes her flyweight debut when she takes on Lauren Murphy (15-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in a main card matchup at UBS Arena. The event airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
According to Tate, everything from her weight cut to her mental sharpness is on point. She expects that will produce a special performance.
“I really want to make this fight the statement of my career,” Tate told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ABC 3 media day. “So, I have big plans for this fight and I’m really excited for Saturday. The finish line is close.”
Tate’s confidence is a product of hard work and dedication, she said. The idea of moving down from 135 pounds wasn’t one she ever took seriously – mainly because during her original UFC run the weight class didn’t exist in the promotion. But then Tate retired for five years, had two children and finally made her way back to the sport.
She’s gone 1-1 since making her comeback, and now Tate is ready to rev up for a run to the top of a new division after UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard prompted the idea.
“I’m dropping to flyweight, and I think I was always meant to be here. I just never had the opportunity,” Tate said. “The flyweight division wasn’t introduced to the UFC until well after I retired. This last fight, which was a really narrow decision loss to Ketlen Vieira, really kind of prompted me. I think it was important that I did lose that fight. It was a competitive one, but it was a bit of a sophomore slump.”
Getting her hands on UFC gold in this weight class won’t be easy. Tate is looking up at one of the most dominant fighters in the sport in Valentina Shevchenko, who, despite a close win over Taila Santos in her most recent outing, has proven to be among the most complete fighters in the game.
Shevchenko mentioned Tate as a matchup she’s interested in following her win at UFC 275 in June, and that gave Tate all the motivation she needs to push even harder for this win.
“I was very excited to hear her mention my name, because if the champion is going to say it, there’s definitely some value in it,” Tate said. “She definitely has some pull in whether she goes up to 135 and fights or stays right here at 125. So I want to make that statement and say that she has some work to be done in this division.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 3.
