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Finally, the big UFC 200 event has a title match in its fight card.
After drawing a lot of flak for setting up a Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz rematch as main event of UF 200 and adding an interim featherweight title bout between Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo on the same card where the real featherweight champion is fighting at a different weight class, the UFC stayed true to its word on adding a women’s bantamweight title bout to reinforce UFC 200.
Dana’s Surprise
Many wondered when UFC President Dana White announced last week that a women’s title bout could be one of the “couple” of women’s matches to be added to UFC 200. For one, White was open about his intent on saving newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate for the comeback fight of Ronda Rousey. Then of course the other women’s champ, straw-weight queen Joana Jedrzejczyk is booked for a title fight at the finale of TUF 23 which will happen one day before UFC 200. There was also the thought that former champ Holly Holm would get the first crack at Tate’s new belt.
But White pulled off a surprise by booking Tate to her first ever title defense a couple of days after she signed a contract extension with the UFC. Cupcake will face Amanda “Lioness” Nunes at UFC 200.
Not Waiting For Ronda
The 4th ranked Nunes is 12-4 in her MMA career and 5-1 with 4 stoppages since coming over from the Invicta FC promotion. Nunes has won three consecutive bouts, beating Shayna Baszler, Sara McMann and Valentina Schevchenko in succession. The only blot in her UFC career has been a 3rd round TKO loss to Cat Zingano at UFC 178. Incidentally, Zingano was earlier rumored to be getting the first crack at Miesha Tate after Dana White snubbed Holly Holm’s request for an immediate rematch. Instead, Zingano will be facing Juliana Pena in the other big women’s bantamweight bout added to UFC 200.
After her 5th round submission win over Holly Holm at UFC 196, Miesha Tate suggested that she’d rather defend her title soon rather than sit and wait for Ronda Rousey whom Dana White said was the “logical” next fight to make for the new champion. Rousey and Tate have a long standing beef and have fought twice in the past with Rousey winning both bouts by stoppage.
The Opening Odds
Tate has opened as the betting favorite in her first title defense at a -275 against Nunes’ +200. Her experience and ability to find ways to win even in difficult circumstances make her the better betting choice against her younger opponent. Tate has the knack for finishing fights strong while Nunes has a tendency to fade. This was evident during her most recent bout against Schevchenko where she dominated for nearly two rounds and then inexplicably slowed down in the final round. Nunes has gone three rounds just thrice in 16 bouts and has never made it past round three.
