Miesha Tate didn't get in the sport just to fight Ronda Rousey
It's only been two weeks since Miesha Tate won the UFC women's bantamweight title, but she's ready to be a fighting champion and hopes to book her first title defense sooner rather than later.
Tate defeated Holly Holm with a fifth-round rear naked choke in early March to claim her first UFC title and immediately afterward the attention shifted to a potential showdown with longtime rival Ronda Rousey.
As much as Tate anticipates meeting Rousey again after falling to her on two previous occasions, she's not solely focused on facing the former champion because she needs to be ready to face anybody in the top 10 gunning for her belt.
That's why Tate has refused to acknowledge Rousey or anybody else in particular as her next opponent. Until the UFC offers the fight with a contract in hand, Tate won't aim at only one person and instead looks at every contender as a potential threat.
"I think that what I've decided as the champ that I need to have the mentality that I can be ready to beat anybody in the world at any time," Tate told "UFC Tonight" on Wednesday. "I'm not trying to look past anyone because I feel like there's so many top contenders out there right now. I could name obviously Ronda (Rousey), Holly (Holm), Cat Zingano, Amanda Nunes, even Julianna Pena -- those are all really solid competition and I don't want to think 'well I'm set on just this one person.' I've got a contract signed and it's not really my job to pick who's next.
"I need to fight whoever they put in front of me."
Tate doubled down on the timing for her next fight, however, preferring to defend the belt in the near future rather than wait for Rousey, who is rumored to be out of action until November.
There's little doubt that a third fight with Rousey would be the biggest battle the UFC could put together right now, but Tate wants to defend the belt as often as possible and waiting until November would certainly slow down her momentum.
"I'd like to stay active as the champion so I don't know if I want to wait all the way until November," Tate said. "I feel motivated. I finally captured this belt so I want to continue to prove why I'm the best in the world."
As much as everyone wants to talk about the third fight with Rousey, Tate promises that's not the only person on her mind.
Now that she's finally reached the apex as champion, Tate just wants to fight the best competition and if that happens to include Rousey then so be it.
In other words, Tate's entire world doesn't revolve around Rousey or their rivalry.
"I didn't get into this sport because I wanted to find somebody I hate to fight," Tate said. "It's not my motivation for being in this. Being the best in the world is my motivation but that rivalry with Ronda, I'm happy that I have that, too, because it's elevated both of our careers to the next level.
"Now here I am the champion and walking around with the belt and it feels great."
