‘Cupcake’ Returns To 135 Vs. ‘Sheetara’

Miesha Tate isn’t done quite yet.

MMA Fighting confirmed today (Tues., March 7, 2023) that the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion, Tate (19-9), is set to return to 135 pounds against the surging No. 10-ranked contender, Mayra Bueno Silva (10-2-1), at a UFC Fight Night event on June 3, 2023. A location for the event has yet to be revealed. Dama de Ferro was first to report the match up.

Tate last fought in July 2022, suffering a unanimous decision defeat to top-ranked Flyweight contender, Lauren Murphy, at UFC Long Island. The bout was “Cupcake’s” debut at 125 pounds and looks to be her last appearance at that weight, judging by the news.

July 2021 saw Tate, 36, officially end a five-year retirement, defeating Marion Reneau in impressive fashion with a third-round technical knockout (watch highlights). Unfortunately for the former titlist, she then fell short in a big main event opportunity against perennial top contender, Ketlen Vieira, via a unanimous decision (watch highlights).

Bueno Silva, on the other hand, also has experience at Flyweight, competing in the division in all of her UFC fights from Sept. 2018 debut to April 2022. “Sheetara” is unbeaten at Bantamweight and currently rides a three-fight winning streak since going back up. She last fought in Feb. 2023, retiring Lina Lansberg with a late second-round heel-hook submission.