After its stellar indoctrination to the UFC this past weekend, the organization’s female bantamweight division looks to be a very promising addition.  Women’s MMA attracts a fan-base that may have eluded the UFC for some time, speaking to the sport’s potential to continue its already rapid growth world-wide.

But if we look beyond the novelty of women fighting in the UFC, we see the division as we would any other.  It is competitive, full of talented fighters, and it holds a champion that people both love and want to see dethroned.  So following a title defense it is only natural to ask, then, who is next in line to face the champ?

Meisha Tate and Cat Zingano, who are scheduled to fight at the April 17 UFC Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale, are the most likely candidates for the next title shot.  During the UFC 157 post-fight press conference, Dana White stated that it “would make sense” for the winner of Tate V. Zingano to face Rousey, though this is not certain as of yet.

For Tate, a title shot would offer her a rematch against Rousey after losing to the current champion last March.  Since that fight, she finished Julie Kedzie on the night of Rousey’s final Strikeforce fight against Sarah Kaufman.

For Cat Zingano, a win in her fight against Tate would add to her perfect MMA record.  Zingano currently boasts a 7-0 record with 3 submission victories and 3 KO’s, including a knockout of Takayo Hashi via body slam from the full guard.

The fight between Tate and Zingano will be on The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale, where Demetrious Johnson will defend his flyweight belt against John Moraga.

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