Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes Is The New UFC 200 Main Event
The highs and lows of this extremely eventful triple-event UFC fight week continue to unfold at an unprecedented rate. First off we entered the MMA twilight zone when Jon Jones was removed from this weekend’s July 9 UFC 200 super card. A failed drug test by USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency) that dated back to mid-June was revealed in a shocking turn of events this past Wednesday, leading to a veritable of wild headlines.
Anderson Silva was later announced as the Absent Jones’ replacement, as the interim champion tried to address his failed drug test to the media on the same day. The heavyweight attraction between Mark Hunt and Brock Lesnar was promoted to the main event, and all of a sudden UFC 200 was looking tidy again. Amidst the highly entertaining UFC Fight Night 90 card last night there was yet more of a shuffle announced.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion and fierce contender Amanda Nunes were now bumped up to the main event, as Lesnar and ‘The Super Samoan’ were demoted to the second fiddle spot. As reported by Brett Okamoto on Twitter and Dana White himself (as quoted by Damon Martin of FOX Sports).
Per White, Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes is now the MAIN EVENT of UFC 200. Brock Lesnar and Mark Hunt back to co-main.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 8, 2016
“Miesha is the woman who beat the woman who beat the woman. She’s the champ,” White said. “What she accomplished a few fights ago, you can’t disrespect that. She should be the main event. She deserves that.”
Since defeating Holly Holm at UFC 195, Tate has been talking a lot about fighting Ronda Rousey. Now, in the absence of the biggest draw in women’s MMA history, ‘Cupcake’ finds herself headlining the biggest event in UFC history. It’s strange how things turn out.
The updated UFC 200 main card (for the fourth time in two days) is as follows:
Main event
Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes
Co-main event
Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt
Main card
Daniel Cormier vs. Anderson Silva
Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo (interim featherweight title fight)
Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne
