Holm tried one last ditch effort to fight Tate’s hands free of the choke, but it was too late and she went to sleep, crowning Tate as the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
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Ronda Rousey will make her return against UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, whenever she is ready to do so. When Holly Holm, 34, stepped into the ring with Miesha Tate, 29, on March 5 few imagined the challenger would end up victorious.
However, a takedown in Round 5 of the bout led to a rear naked choke and a championship victory for Tate (18-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC), who put Holm (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) to sleep at the 3:30 mark of Round 5. However it’s her heart that is hurting her the most after losing the fight. She has fought Tate on two previous occasions, winning both contests by submission.
Tate looked up against it from early on against Holm, with her left eye partially closing after a fierce straight punch in the opening round. “Yes”, White said. “I honestly don’t know if Georges still wants to fight”.
UFC president Dana White said he had already decided before the fight that the victor would face Rousey, whose title reign ended by second round knockout to Holm. It shouldn’t be all that surprising, then, that she made key tactical errors when it came to that final grappling exchange with Tate. I took the fight.
But Tate refused to release the hold and when they hit the ground she kept the choke hold.
Rousey’s rematch with Holly Holm will likely be pushed all the way back to UFC 200 in November, but White says that’s okay with him.
Round 4 consisted of another takedown attempt by Tate. However, I know Holly Holm must be eating at her. Mike Tyson lost to Evander Holyfield he wanted a rematch badly. She maintained distance against Tate well and stuffed the majority of her takedowns. Tate continues her aggression, but Holm peppers her with a stellar combination. All the way squeezing Holm’s neck like a lion would a gazelle to make sure the meal that had avoided her for months would come to fruition. Holm’s body went limp and referee “Big” John McCarthy stepped in to stop it.
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And now there’s some luster off the charismatic fighter who was becoming the UFC’s most popular, reflected by the 14,898 who attended his non-title bout against a substitute opponent, generating an $8.1-million gate.
