Holly Holm Believes Miesha Tate Is #1 Contender

By now we all know that Ronda Rousey will have an immediate rematch with Holly Holm for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship. UFC President Dana White confirmed the rematch during his appearance on last Thursday’s edition of Mike & Mike, which is an ESPN radio show that airs weekdays on SiriusXM as well as ESPN 2.

Holm’s manager Lenny Fresquez confirmed that the UFC has put an official offer out for the rematch at UFC 200 on July 9. There’s one catch, though. Fresquez is not certain Rousey will be ready by then, and if that’s going to be the case, the champ wants to stay busy, which means she would have to fight someone in the meantime.

“I’m not sure Ronda will be ready for a July fight,” Fresquez told the Los Angeles Times. “She took a severe beating, and I don’t think it’s in her best interest to take the next fight so fast. They told me she’s been ready and cleared, but … Holly’s used to staying active. “

Fresquez explained that Holm is open to fighting Miesha Tate because Tate is not only ready to fight now but because she feels that Tate is the true number one contender.

“We’re from the old school, and we believe the No. 1 contender is there for a reason. … [Tate] deserves a shot, but it’s not for me to decide.”

“…Holly’s not so much about the money as [much as thinking] she wants to fight. We’d like to fight Miesha. We understand there are risks, but Holly’s a dominant champion, and she wants to fight the best. Right now, Miesha is the best.”

Time will only tell what the UFC decides to do, but one would have to believe that the UFC wants that huge rematch on their biggest card of all-time.