UFC Vegas 31 is just a couple of nights away and will be held at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 17. While a lot of people are looking forward to the main event between Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises, there are other intriguing bouts on the card. That includes a meeting between two women’s bantamweight veterans as Miesha Tate makes her return to the octagon to take on Marion Reneau.
Here’s a look at that odds heading into the Tate-Reneau fight at UFC Vegas 31, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Vegas 31 Odds: Miesha Tate (18-7-0) vs Marion Reneau (9-7-1)
Odds via BetOnline as of Thursday, July 15
- Moneyline: Tate (-144) vs Reneau (+124)
- Total: 2.5 Rounds — Over (-300), Under (+240)
Tate Favored in UFC Return
After losing to Raquel Pennington at UFC 205 in November 2016, Tate retired from the UFC. Fast forward to 2021 and the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion is back on a six-fight deal. Obviously, the first of those six bouts is this weekend against Reneau where Tate will enter as the -144 favourite.
Anyone who remembers Tate in her prime knows that she excelled in submissions and wrestling. While there’s no guarantee what she’ll look like after five years away from the sport, it’s important to remember that she’s only 34 years old and could have a solid back half to her career. If that’s the case, it could all start at UFC Vegas 31.
The good news for Tate is that if she can still be a submission/wrestling specialist, she could see success against Reneau. Tate averages 2.06 takedowns per 15 minutes while Reneau owns a 50% takedown defense rate. In other words, the former champion should have a pretty decent shot at keeping her opponent grounded this Saturday.
There’s also the fact that Reneau has lost her last four fights in a row as she enters UFC Vegas 31. Tate could take advantage of that because a losing streak that lengthy could affect one’s mental strength. If there’s any point in the fight where Reneau is doubting herself, Tate needs to pounce on that to re-assert herself as one of the company’s top women.
Reneau Looking to Spoil Tate’s Return in Final Match
While Tate has been in retirement, Reneau has been with the UFC this entire time and most recently fought against Macy Chiasson back in March. While she might be on a four-fight losing streak and the +124 underdog ahead of UFC Vegas 31, the fact that Reneau has fought recently does bode well for her. If Tate has lost a step while she’s been away, it could make her return that much more difficult. Meanwhile, that’s not something that Reneau has to worry about.
However, UFC Vegas 31 is also the last time that Reneau will fight inside of the octagon. She announced on Wednesday that her bout with Tate would be the last of her career and that she’s “looking forward” to everything that her retirement will bring. With that being said, what better way could Reneau end her career than going out on top against a returning Tate? Regardless of how the fight ends, Reneau deserves to enjoy her retirement after all she’s given to the sport.
