Former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Miesha Tate called out up-and-coming contender Bethe Correia on Wednesday, and it didn't take long for the fiery Brazilian to respond to the challenge.
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Correia said she prefers to fight UFC champion Ronda Rousey, but she would likely need another win before earning a title shot. Tate is ranked No. 2 in the women's bantamweight division and a win over her would put "Pitbull" right in the middle of the title picture.
"Everyone knows I want to be the champion," Correia told FOX Sports through an interpreter. "And fight the champion is something I've looked for, something I worked to get. I have no idea why Tate decided to appear in this history. But everyone knows me and knows how I am, I never back away from a fight, I am Bethe Correia. I never run from a challenge. Whoever challenges me make sure to use a good mouthpiece because I'll answer to it in the Octagon with punches to the mouth."
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Correia has worked her way into the title conversation by defeating Rousey's friends and training partners and by constantly calling out the UFC women's bantamweight champion in the media.
Tate is coming off a win over Rin Nakai last month, her second straight victory after suffering a second loss to Rousey in December. But Tate wasn't satisfied with the win, saying the fight was boring because of Nakai's grappling style. She believes Correia's kickboxing approach would make for an exciting fight.
"It's hard to win fight of the night when one of the two people in the ring just want to hold on to you or lay on you," she told Ask Men. "I want to fight someone that isn't afraid to stand up with me. Let's give the fans what they want to see and throw punches until someone goes down."
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