The UFC women’s bantamweight division boasts its fourth champion in less than a year.
Miesha Tate scored a brief takedown in the UFC 200 main event. And then Amanda Nunes scored with everything else.
The Brazilian landed beautiful combinations that uglied, bloodied, and hurt Cupcake. Tate crumbled to the canvas, appearing ready for intervention. Instead of continuing the fistic onslaught, the Lioness took her kill’s back. She slipped on a rear-naked choke and Tate tapped just 3:16 into the first round.
“I always have things to work on and try to make things happen in my life,” Nunes explained after the fight. “Miesha’s a tough opponent. Everybody knows that. I respect Miesha a lot and I’m the new champion. For years I’ve been working hard for this moment. I feel amazing. I’m going to go back to Brazil and visit my family. Now I’m going back to Brazil and bringing this belt with me.”
Prior to last November, the division knew one champion in its entire history. This fall, the division may see the return of that champion, which may mean an Amanda Nunes-Ronda Rousey big money fight, with Rowdy’s rivals Tate and Holly Holm looking on with empty pockets after briefly holding the belt once owned by the women’s MMA legend.