Miesha Tate believes she has the solution to the dramatic negotiations between Cris Cyborg and the UFC.
Cris Cyborg will be facing Felicia Spencer this Saturday at UFC 240, but there is another opponent the UFC would like to see her face and that is reigning women’s featherweight and bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. Dana White claims that the interest exists on the promotion’s end as well as with champion Amanda Nunes, but not with Cris Cyborg. Cyborg has refuted these comments and also rebuked White for making such comments. Dana White recently doubled down on his claim, stating that while Cyborg is not afraid of Amanda Nunes, she is afraid of losing again to her. On a recent episode of MMA Tonight, Miesha Tate shared her interpretation of what appears to be a bit of a paradox:
“Well, I think that Dana is trying to distinguish between her being afraid as a person, person-to-person level or fighter-to-fighter level, which I think he’s giving her credit that she’s not afraid as a fighter.
“It means if no one is watching, she’s not afraid of Amanda. But if the whole world is watching and it goes on her career, affects her legacy, she’s afraid of making the wrong career choice is what he’s trying to say. That’s how I interpreted the afraid/not afraid.”
Miesha Tate went on to state that she is placing her trust with Cris Cyborg and does not believe she is afraid of Amanda Nunes on either count:
“I listened to Cyborg on Ariel Helani’s show. And she, from my perspective…she’s always a very open book…she didn’t sound afraid whatsoever. She really has been pushing heavily for that rematch. She really wants that rematch. So I believe that. So I’m not even sure I necessarily believe what Dana is saying career trajectory-wise, being afraid. It didn’t sound like she was afraid on either level. It sounds like she really, really wants this rematch.”
Finally, Miesha Tate proposes a solution to put an end to all the back-and-forth conflicting accounts between the UFC, Nunes, and Cyborg:
“So I say we sit them all in front of the camera, all three of them, and we pull out a contract, and we say, OK, then. After she beats Felicia…post-fight conference, it’s the perfect place,” Tate said. “ Like, hey, here’s the contract. Let the rest of the world see who has what to say about what.”
Do you believe we will see a rematch between Amanda Nunes and Cris Cyborg?
