Hey folks, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is going back to old ‘Tejas’ — Texas that is — this Saturday. To say the undercard at Austin’s Moody Center is interesting would be an understatement! It’s especially thrilling to see women’s bantamweights highlighting the evening, particularly UFC on ESPN 52’s featured prelim. We’ll see Miesha Tate, our former champ, trying to get a win streak going against Julia Avila, coming back after a long break.
Now, that’s not all we’re excited about folks. Drakkar
Klose will be fighting Joe Solecki — now that’s a match of underrated lightweights that promises some excitement. Furthermore, a rumble between featherweights Steve Garcia and Melquizael Costa promises to keep you glued to your screens. And spoiler alert, they’re also throwing in some intriguing new faces from Dana White’s Contender Series. It’s safe to say, December’s shaping up pretty nicely for the UFC.
First up, let’s talk about our women’s bantamweights. Julia Avila (with a record of 9-2, 3-1 UFC) against none other than Miesha Tate (19-9, 6-6 UFC). The odds are leaning towards Avila, but it’s important to remember that the women’s bantamweight division has always been unpredictable. It would be great to see either Tate or Avila seize this golden opportunity and snatch a long-due win.
Remember the period when Tate’s rivalry with Ronda Rousey paved the way for the evolution of women’s mixed
martial arts? Yes, Rousey dominated that feud. But when Tate finally scored a championship win over Holly Holm in 2016, that was one for the books. But instead of fighting another high-stakes bout with Rousey, Tate decided to hang her gloves with Nunes seizing her belt and after a rather underwhelming last performance against Raquel Pennington.
Yet, hats off to Tate — she made quite a comeback after four and a half years. A wrestler at her best, Tate’s striking was on point in her fight against Marion Reneau. However, it could be that a favorable matchup let Tate take control as she didn’t make much leaps thereafter. Despite not topping the charts, you can’t call Tate’s comeback a failure. And it’s still exciting to see her back at 135 pounds fighting Avila, who is also making her long-awaited comeback. Avila, known for her aggression and two finishes in UFC, might face Tate’s wrestling, given her own grappling game was neutralized in her fight with Sijara Eubanks. But don’t count her out just yet, folks. This might be the ultimate grappling duel. We’re betting on Avila, but via decision.
So, get your snacks ready, buckle up, and dive into an exciting fight night with us! Don’t forget to check back for a preview of the UFC on ESPN 52 prelims!