Prior to making her Strikeforce debut last May, Sarah Kaufman had never been to a decision in her career. Each of the 24-year-old Victoria, British Columbia native’s eight bouts up to that point had ended the same way – with Kaufman pounding out a victory.
Since joining the ranks of the elite female fighters with the San Jose-based company, Kaufman has continued her winning ways. She’s earned three more wins and the women’s welterweight championship in the process, but fans, critics and maybe even her bosses with Strikeforce have been uninspired by her three consecutive trips to the scorecards.
Though she thoroughly dominated Takayo Hashi from the opening bell in claiming the crown as the top 135-pound female fighter on the planet last February, the fight drew poor reviews, as many wanted to see Kaufman finished her overmatched opponent. Initially, Kaufman felt the same frustration.
“My last fight,” began the unbeaten Kaufman, letting out a frustrated groan, recalling her immediate feelings after her fight with Hashi. “I finished the fight, I knew I won, I knew I decisively won, but I wanted more. I want more, and even in the fight I wanted more, but there is only so much you can push and do on your own if your opponent isn’t being offensive and isn’t trying to fight back.”
With a number of teammates in the final stages of preparation following the fight, the former dancer didn’t have a chance to re-watch the fight, and spent her first couple weeks as a world champion believing the criticisms that came from every direction.
“I definitely wasn’t as happy as I should be after winning a title,” remarked Kaufman on her mood following the biggest win of her career. After wondering what more she could have done with her coach Adam Zugec, Kaufman finally sat down to see her performance, and was pleasantly surprised by what she saw.
“I watched it and I didn’t think it was actually that boring of a fight. If I watched that fight as someone else, I would actually enjoy that fight, but then again, people love brawling. Like the last Bonnar and Soszynski fight. Technically ugly, but yeah – they smashed each other and it was entertaining in that way.”
Friday night, Kaufman makes her return to the cage, defending her title for the first time against Roxanne Modafferi. While the top two female welterweights are inexplicably playing second fiddle to a main event of Shane Del Rosario versus Lolohae Mahe, Kaufman has no time to focus on where she’s slated on the fight card. Instead, she’s channelling all her attention into putting on a dominant performance against Modafferi, and hoping she stands by her pre-fight promises.
“She’s not going to run away,” explained Kaufman. “Well, she says she’s not going to run away. After a few punches she might decide she’s going to run away, and if she does, I think the fans will be disappointed because she’s already stated she’s going to stand. I hope the fans hold her to it.”
An action-packed encounter might be the missing piece of the puzzle that has Kaufman taking a step back on the schedule while remaining mired on a Challengers series event instead of being showcased on a larger Strikeforce card. Her 145-pound counterpart Cris Cyborg has maintained her momentum since stopping Gina Carano last summer by brutalizing both Marloes Coenen and Jan Finney, two opponents who normally compete in Kaufman’s 135-pound division.
With potential opponents stepping on the scale ten pounds heavier and having the chance to showcase their skills on a much bigger stage, and Kaufman ranking alongside Cyborg as one of the best female fighters in the business, questions about a contest between the two are unavoidable.
“Cyborg is a fight that could very well possibly happen somewhere down the road,” admitted Kaufman when asked about the 145-pound champion. “We’re both at the top of our divisions; it’s probably something that Strikeforce kind of wants. I would definitely consider doing it in the future, and I don’t think it would be a terrible fight for me.”
Should Kaufman come away from her first title defence with the women’s welterweight belt still around her waist, the talk of a champion vs. champion clash with Cyborg will only intensify. For the time being, the unbeaten Canadian is only focused on the task at hand, beating Roxanne Modafferi in impressive fashion Friday night.
“This fight with Roxanne, it’s not going to go five rounds. With a finish like that, I think I would have to be moved up.”