Shayna Baszler to Make UFC Debut Against Sarah Kaufman at ‘TUF: Nations’ Finale

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After a disappointing stint on Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter” Shayna Baszler will make her Octagon debut against Sarah Kaufman at "TUF Nations" finale on April 16.

The UFC announced the booking on Saturday. The bantamweights first squared off at Strikeforce Challengers 2 on June 19, 2009, with Kaufman capturing a unanimous verdict.

The “TUF: Nations” finale takes place at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec and is headlined by a middleweight clash between Michael Bisping and Tim Kennedy. The card also includes the middleweight and welterweight finals from the reality show as well as a matchup pitting Canada coach Patrick Cote against Australia coach Kyle Noke.

Baszler was tabbed as one of the favorites on “TUF 18,” but the “Queen of Spades” would fall to eventual women’s bantamweight winner Julianna Pena in a quarterfinal bout. The 33-year-old Sioux Falls, S.D., native is a noted submission specialist, having earned 14 of her 15 career victories by way of tapout. She recently went 1-2 during a three-fight stint with Invicta FC, besting Sarah D’Alelio while falling to Sara McMann and Alexis Davis.

A former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion, Kaufman made her UFC debut in October, falling to Jessica Eye in a contentious split decision. However, that verdict was recently changed to a no contest by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation when it was revealed that Eye failed a post-fight drug test.