Miesha Tate confident she can make another run for UFC women’s bantamweight title despite long layoff

Former women’s 135lbs champ Miesha Tate is confident she can make another run for the UFC women’s bantamweight title despite her long layoff.

Tate returns after a nearly five-year layoff this Saturday night when she takes on Marion Reneau in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 31. Despite Tate taking so much time off, she returns to the UFC at age 34 and to a division that is in fresh need of fresh challengers for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Even though Tate hasn’t fought in forever and technically hasn’t won a fight since her upset win over Holly Holm at UFC 196 in March 2016, she is still confident that she has what it takes to wear UFC gold again.

Speaking to MMAFighting.com ahead of her comeback, Tate explained why she has what it takes to make a successful comeback and wear the UFC belt around her waist again.

“It’s a tall order. I know. A lot of people think I’m delusional, I know. I know I’m crazy but everyone thought I was crazy before. I was the underdog going in against Holly (Holm) and look you’ve got to dream big. If you’re not dreaming big then you’re cheating yourself. People thought Francis (Ngannou) was crazy, too, the first time he got defeated by Stipe. He figured it out and he’s a better version of himself,” Tate said.

“If there’s anybody I’d like to model myself after, it’s that man. That storyline of evolution and figuring it out. I can’t get ahead of myself but I do have long-term goals. My long-term goal is to be a world champion again. Short-term goal, don’t underestimate Marion Reneau. She’s tough as sh*t and I know she’s going to bring it on July 17.”

Do you think Miesha Tate has what it takes to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title again after such a long layoff?