UFC Vegas 31 featured the return of a former champion in Miesha Tate. The former bantamweight champion, who had been out of action for the better part of five years, returned to take on a veteran of the sport in Marion Reneau. 

This is not the first time that a former fighter has come out of retirement to compete after a long time off. However, in most cases, it does not end well for the said fighter as the time off affects their performance. This did not seem to apply to Tate as she looked better than she ever has. Despite her lengthy hiatus, ‘Cupcake’ steam-rolled her opponent. 

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Miesha Tate makes a stunning return after five years away 

Going into the fight, fans and pundits alike did not know what to expect from Tate as the sport had evolved tremendously since UFC 205. Given the time she had been away from MMA, there were concerns that Tate had bitten off more than she could chew.

However, it appears that under the tutelage of Eric Nicksick, Tate has come leaps and bounds since the last time MMA fans saw her compete inside the octagon. ‘Cupcake’ started the fight off well and arguably won round one comfortably.

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As the fight went on, Tate utilized more of her grappling and wrestling and completely dominated the fight. The finishing sequence saw her unleash a barrage of punches while Reneau was pinned to the ground. This forced the referee to step in and call the fight. 

Tate is still only 34-years old and has a lot of time left in the sport should she wish to continue. And after her showing at the UFC APEX, it’s unlikely that she will ride off into the sunset. 

Over the course of the fight, Miesha Tate landed an impressive 110 total strikes with an accuracy of 60%. She also landed 65 significant strikes with an accuracy of 54%. ‘Cupcake’ also secured 3 takedowns and landed 25 strikes on the ground.

What did you make of Miesha Tate’s return performance? Do you think there has been a better comeback performance in the UFC? Let us know in the comments below!