Miesha Tate got her wish granted and she will get first crack at newly crowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women's bantamweight champion Holly Holm UFC 197 this coming March.
Even though that upcoming fight is not as animated as the ones that both fighters had to go through with Ronda Rousey, Tate knows that she needs a proper approach to overcome the odds of a stellar fighter such as Holm.
Tate is expecting Holm to use her boxing and kickboxing skills to the fullest. And if she is wise, she may want to avoid engaging in such since she saw the plight of Rousey when she tried to at UFC 193.
For her part, Holm is equally wary of Tate because she knows that "Cupcake" is entirely different from Rousey. So if one sums it all up, it is about proper preparations and executing their game plan/s.
Tate is, of course, a tough cookie to crack. Before Holm defeated Rousey, Tate became the first fighter to last longer than one round against the former UFC women's bantamweight champion. However, it was her resiliency that drew the respect of Rousey. Tate doesn't give up easily even if it meant breaking a part of her body.
Their face-off will be all about respect. There isn't much trash-talk expected from the two fighters who are expected to go all out and show who between them is tougher.
If Tate is wise, she may want to try and ground Holm if she can. For someone who can box and carries a big striking game, grappling and frustrating her attacks is seen as the best approach right now.
Taking Holm down to the canvass will not be easy, of course. And once she does, Tate needs to make sure to do the necessary and avoid mistakes. One miscalculation from either side could eventually determine the winner.
