Miesha Tate’s return to a UFC main event will have to wait.
Tate (19-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC), a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, has tested positive for COVID-19 and will no longer fight Ketlen Vieira (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 195 on Oct. 16.
MMA Junkie confirmed the news with a person close to the situation following an initial report from Sherdog. The bout is likely to be postponed to a new date, but nothing has been finalized at this time as Tate awaits a clean bill of health.
Tate, 35, ended a five-year retirement in July when she outworked Marion Reneau for a third-round TKO at UFC on ESPN 26. “Cupcake” won the title in 2016 when she submitted Holly Holm but lost it shortly thereafter to Amanda Nunes, who still holds the belt to this day.
Vieira, 29, meanwhile, has alternated losses and wins over her past four bouts. She’s coming off a unanimous decision defeat to Yana Kunitskaya at UFC Fight Night 185 in February.