Miesha Tate looked like a shell of her former self at UFC 200 and UFC 205.
UFC 200 marked Tate’s first title defense -- Cupcake won the women’s bantamweight title when she choked out Holly Holm at UFC 196 -- but the 30-year-old didn’t really show up on the night. Tate was submitted in the first round by Amanda Nunes, who now rules as the new 135-pound champion.
At UFC 205, Tate went the distance with 28-year-old Raquel Pennington but came up short on the judges’ score cards. The MMA veteran and multi-promotion champion seemed to be lacking drive and focus, and Tate admitted as much to her corner before the official decision was announced.
"I'm not showing up in here anymore," Tate told coaches Bryan Caraway and Robert Follis, per MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi. "I don't care enough."
Caraway replied: "You show up in practice."
"I just, I don't have it anymore,” Tate said a few seconds later.
"I don't want to fight anymore, Bryan," she told Carway after Bruce Buffer announced Pennington as the winner. "I don't want to do this anymore."
Following her exchange with Caraway, Tate then announced in the post-fight interview that she would be retiring from the sport.
"I'm announcing my retirement, you guys. I love you all so much. I've been doing this for over a decade. Thank you so much for being here, I'll love this sport forever, but it's not my time anymore, it's the future's time."
Tate has been competing in mixed martial arts for nine years and won both the Strikeforce and UFC bantamweight titles. The Washington-born fighter established herself as a fan favorite and retires with a professional record of 18-7.
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