"I want to add some spice to this division" - Miesha Tate eager to disrupt Amanda Nunes' reign in the UFC

Miesha Tate wants to recapture the UFC gold during her impending second in the competitive sphere of MMA.

While speaking to the media ahead of UFC 260, Miesha Tate said that becoming the champion again was the primary motivation behind her decision to make a comeback. Tate added that women's MMA has evolved a lot since she left in 2016 and she wants to cement her position as the best women's MMA fighter once again. Miesha Tate's statement points to her determination to take on bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes in the future.

"I'm not here for anything less than the gold. I wanna be the best in the world. I want my daughter to see what strong women can do... I want to be a role model to my kids but that's not why I am doing this.

"I am doing this for me. I took four and a half years off. I've got to sit back, I've got to watch the sports evolve... but I want to come back and add some spice to this division and I wanna be the greatest again, I wanna be the best," Miesha Tate said.

Miesha Tate is the pioneer of women's MMA, which burst onto the scene in erstwhile StrikeForce. Tate held the women's bantamweight title in Strikeforce and the UFC. Following the title loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 and a subsequent loss to Raquel Pennington later that year, Tate announced her retirement from professional MMA. She later joined Asian promotion One FC as vice-president in 2018.

ESPN recently broke the news of Miesha Tate's return to competition against Marion Reneau on July 17, 2021, at Fight Night 192.

Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) has decided to make a comeback. She will fight Marion Reneau (@BelizeanBruiser) on July 17, who actually tells ESPN that will be her retirement fight. Tate's career resumes, as Reneau puts a bow on hers. https://t.co/4t2l8xBd0Z

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) March 24, 2021

Miesha Tate can put the women's bantamweight division back on the map

Since winning the title from Miesha Tate in 2016, Amanda Nunes has gone on to defeat every former champion and top contender in the women's bantamweight division. None of the active bantamweights are perceived as worthy opponents to the dominant champ. It threatens the marketability of the division as it is being ruled by a woman who is leaps and bounds ahead of other fighters in terms of skill as well as popularity.

Amanda Nunes scored a dominant win over Miesha Tate in their first fight. However, Miesha Tate is a recognizable name that brings a huge fan following with her. If Tate continues with her winning ways during her second run in the UFC, it is undeniable that fans will tune in to watch her fight Amanda Nunes and put the women's bantamweight division on the map again.