Tate feels disrespected by idea that she may be Rousey's last fight

UFC women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate has two losses to Ronda Rousey on her record, and she'd like a third shot at her. But when she heard rumors that Rousey was avoiding a rematch with Holly Holm so she could fight Tate one more time and then retire, that didn't sit well with her. She spoke about it on The Exchange on UFC Fight Pass (transcribed by MMA Junkie):

"Some people have been saying that she’s said, ‘I’ll come back for one fight against Miesha Tate because I know that I can beat her, and then I’m retiring.' She doesn’t want to fight Holly (Holm). I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I have heard that. If it is true, I find it disrespectful."

Tate, who will defend her title against Amanda Nunes at UFC 200, believes she can beat Rousey the third time around. She also thinks that Rousey doesn't have her head in the game any more after her loss to Holm:

"Do I think she’ll come back the same? Something tells me no. I think that’s just my take on the interviews I’ve seen her do. I feel like she’s somewhere else other than fighting. I don’t feel like this is her No. 1 drive anymore."

...

"I think she’s second-guessing whether she even wants to be in it. Even talking about retirement or contemplating that, saying she’s only going to come back for one fight, I would expect things like, ‘I need to get right back in there right now, I’ve got to prove this, I’m going to go on another title run.’ Those are not things that I’ve been hearing from her.

"Where does her heart really lay? I’ve gone through the toughest of times. I’ve been head-kicked and knocked out before. I’ve lost to Ronda twice; that was the most devastating thing that ever could have happened to me inside my career. But here I am. I’ve made myself better for it. And I don’t recognize that in Ronda. I don’t recognize the same desire, the same passion, the same willingness to overcome that kind of adversity. I don’t see that in her."

Rousey is expected to return to the octagon either at the end of the year or early next year. Who she will face is still up in the air, but with Tate already talking up a third bout, you know that's what she wants.