UFC female bantamweight champion Miesha Tate likely had no idea what was about to transpire when she submitted Holly Holm to win the belt.
Tate, already a popular figure in female MMA, has skyrocketed since that win.
“My world has completely turned upside down for the better,” she said, during an appearance on UFC Tonight. “It’s been amazing. I’ve gotten so much love and happiness. People have been following my story for a long time and they know there’s been so much adversity.
“It’s been a 10-year journey. People are loving with me and that feels great.”
Tate (18-5) has now won five straight fights since a 2013 submission loss to Ronda Rousey. That includes decisions over Jessica Eye, Sara McMann and Liz Carmouche.
Currently, no plans have been released regarding who Tate will defend her belt against first, but “Cupcake” knows there will be no easy defenses.
“What I’ve decided as a champ, I can have the mentality to fight anyone at any time,” she said. “There are so many top contenders now – Ronda, Holly, Amanda (Nunes), Julianna Pena, they’re all solid competition. It’s not my job as a champ to pick a fight, it’s to fight whoever they put in front of me.
“I’d like to stay active as a champion and not wait until November. I’d like to defend the belt and continue to prove why I’m the best in the world.”
