-
Podcast: Beatdown After The Bell ‘Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman’
By: Sherdog.com Staff
TJ De Santis and Jordan Breen took to the Sherdog Radio Network Saturday night for “Beatdown After the Bell: Strikeforce ‘Rousey vs. Kaufman.’”
Read more
De Santis and Breen gave their reaction to the fight card that saw Ronda Rousey submit Sarah Kaufman in the first round by. The pair also ponder if Rousey’s dominance is really a good thing for women’s mixed martial arts on the whole.
Along with main event analysis, the show examined Saturday’s undercard, where Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza won by knockout and Miesha Tate battled from behind to steal a victory from Julie Kedzie.
Check out the best post-fight analysis in the business by clicking here. -
Poll: Rousey-Tate Outcome?
Follow the jump for reader comments. Read more -
With Win Over Ronda Rousey, Sarah Kaufman Hopes to Make Sure Dana White Remembers Her
By: Sherdog.com Staff
Sarah Kaufman, on “Beatdown,” giving her thoughts on UFC President Dana White wearing a shirt that showed upcoming opponent Ronda Rousey on the cover of ESPN the Magazine:
“I don’t really know his kind of motive behind that or what statement he was making other than maybe he’s just excited to see the fight or he really likes Ronda. There’s a lot of statements that could be made with that shirt. Either way, if he’s supporting the females and I’m part of that, great. On the other hand, I’ve met Dana quite a few times and so he does know who I am. I don’t know why he’d say he doesn’t, but I want to make sure he knows who I am after this fight and a win will definitely do that.”
Follow the jump for reader comments. Read more -
Sarah Kaufman: Women’s 135-Pound Division Has ‘Almost More’ Depth Than Men’s 125
By: Sherdog.com Staff
Sarah Kaufman, on “Beatdown,” discussing which women’s divisions the UFC should implement:
“The higher weight class, at 145, I would definitely say there isn’t the depth there. You have to be a big girl to be fighting at 145 if you’re lean, and I don’t think that that depth is there. But 115, 125, 135 -- there really are a lot of females that are very talented at this point and ever growing in terms of just people coming into this sport and building up. If the UFC’s able to put in the 125-pound men’s division and they don’t have a lot of depth there, I would say there’s almost more depth at 135 for females.”
Follow the jump for reader comments. Read more -
Podcast: Nam Phan, Sarah Kaufman
By: Sherdog.com Staff
UFC featherweight Nam Phan and Strikeforce title contender Sarah Kaufman joined host Jeff Sherwood for Wednesday’s edition of “Beatdown” on the Sherdog Radio Network.
Read more
Phan discussed his UFC on Fox 4 win against Cole Miller and his feelings on Steven Seagal, while Kaufman talked about preparing for her upcoming championship bout against Ronda Rousey.
Check it out here. -
Sherdog Pick’Em Trends: Strikeforce Prelims
By: Sherdog.com Staff
Sarah Kaufman stands but one win away from a crack at the title she once held. Popular opinion is on her side.
An overwhelming 97 percent of users with the Sherdog MMA Pick’Em fantasy game expect Kaufman to defeat Alexis Davis as part of the Strikeforce “Tate vs. Rousey” prelims on Saturday at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The winner of their three-round encounter figures to emerge as the top contender for the women’s bantamweight championship.
Kaufman (14-1, 5-1 SF) will carry a two-fight winning streak into the bout. The 26-year-old Canadian last appeared at Strikeforce Challengers 17 in July, when she captured a unanimous decision from Liz Carmouche at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Kaufman has delivered 10 of her 14 professional victories by knockout or technical knockout, including her triumph over Davis five years ago. She won the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight crown in February 2010, only to relinquish it in a submission loss to Marloes Coenen eight months later.
A champion inside the Raging Wolf promotion, Davis (11-4, 2-0 SF) has rattled off three consecutive wins. The 27-year-old Canadian last fought at Strikeforce “Barnett vs. Kharitonov” in September, when she stopped Amanda Nunes on second-round punches at the U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. Anchored at Dayboll Jiu-Jitsu, Davis has delivered nearly half (five) of her 11 career victories by submission.
Follow the jump for reader comments. Read more -
Weekend Rundown: Ex-Strikeforce Champion Kaufman Triumphant
By: Brian Knapp
Sherdog.com Illustration
Former Strikeforce women’s welterweight champion Sarah Kaufman stopped Megumi Yabushita on third-round punches in the Armageddon Fighting Championships 5 “Judgment Day” main event on Saturday at the Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The end came 3:34 into round three.
A Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts representative, Kaufman bounced back well from her first career defeat -- an armbar submission loss to Marloes Coenen that cost her the Strikeforce title in October. Yabushita, a Smackgirl veteran, has dropped back-to-back bouts and three of here last four.
Meanwhile, King of the Cage alum Nick Hinchliffe posted his third win in four outings in the co-main event, as he earned a majority decision over Ryan Machan. The 31-year-old’s last three fights have reached the judges. Mahan, who has competed regularly under the Maximum Fighting Championship banner, will carry a two-fight losing streak into his next appearance.
Other winners at AFC 5 included Andrew Buckland (guillotine choke submission over David Perron), unbeaten Island MMA product Derek Medler (rear-naked choke submission against Jarod Milko) and surging featherweight Nick Driedger (unanimous decision over Brendan Frost). Driedger has rattled off four consecutive victories. Read more -
The Turning Point: Coenen vs. Kaufman
By: Chris Nelson
Marloes Coenen (red trunks) vs. Sarah Kaufman: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com
In the waning moments of the second round of their Strikeforce title bout, champion Sarah Kaufman waded in behind a straight right hand and tied up with Marloes Coenen, looking to bully her challenger against the cage. The tactic had proven successful, if not exactly fruitful, for the smaller Kaufman thus far in the bout. This time, however, Coenen had other ideas.
As Kaufman secured double underhooks, Coenen pivoted her hips and used a harai goshi to send the champion tumbling to the canvas for the first time in the match. Coenen’s right leg stuck beneath her on the sweep, allowing Kaufman to reverse into the Dutchwoman’s guard, but the damage was done: Coenen now knew how to get this fight where she wanted it.
Glancing at her corner with 10 seconds left in the frame, Coenen thrust her hips upward, angling for an armbar. Kaufman rose to her feet and escaped danger, but left her appendages dangling, allowing Coenen a second, more successful attempt. Though Kaufman broke loose of the hold just before the bell, the sequence would prove a portent of things to come.
Between rounds, trainer Martijn de Jong told his fighter what he wanted to see. Read more -
Audio: Strikeforce Conference Call
Strikeforce held a conference call for the media on Friday to promote its Oct. 9 San Jose, Calif., event.
Josh Thomson, Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante, Sarah Kaufman, Marloes Coenen and CEO Scott Coker participated in the call. Audio from the teleconference is available in the player below.
Read more -
Kaufman to Defend Strikeforce Belt, Diaz to Fight Oct. 9
By: Brian Knapp
Strikeforce women’s welterweight champion Sarah Kaufman will defend her crown against Dutch submission specialist Marloes Coenen on Oct. 9 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., the promotion announced on Saturday.
Read more
Perfect in 12 professional appearances, Kaufman last appeared in July, when she knocked out Roxanne Modafferi with a third-round slam at Strikeforce Challengers 9. The 24-year-old Canadian has delivered nine of her 12 career victories by knockout or technical knockout and owns notable victories against current Raging Wolf women’s champion Alexis Davis, EliteXC veteran Shayna Baszler and 2010 Strikeforce women’s welterweight tournament winner Miesha Tate. Kaufman trains out of the Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts camp in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
