Kaufman defends Strikeforce world women's title
Sarah Kaufman is fighting for respect one bout at a time.
The 24-year-old from Victoria makes the first defence of her Strikeforce world women's welterweight title against American Roxanne Modafferi on Friday night at a Strikeforce Challengers event in Everett, Wash. (Super Channel, 11 p.m. ET).
The women's side of mixed martial arts, which is ignored by the UFC and WEC, is still taking baby steps. And Kaufman, despite claiming the 135-pound championship in February in a five-round decision over Takayo Hashi, is still fighting for recognition.
Strikeforce middleweight champion Cris (Cyborg) Santos and the on-hiatus Gina Carano remain the marquee names in the women's fight game.
Kaufman (11-0) is not complaining about her lot in life. But asked whether she is getting her due the way Cyborg and Carano are, she speaks her mind.
"I honestly don't think as much as it should be," she said. "But I think part of that is Gina Carano and Cyborg, they're all fighting on the bigger shows, the main cards. Whereas I'm on the Friday night, the Challengers card which doesn't get as much exposure and as much TV time.
"So I definitely think for holding a title I should be out there a bit more."
Strikeforce bills its Challengers series as a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters, "where tomorrow’s champions are made." The marquee names are showcased on the main Strikeforce cards.
Kaufman's three Strikeforce fights have all been Challengers events. Being a champion today has not changed that. She's not even in the main event on Friday's card. That goes to heavyweights Shane Del Rosario (9-0) and Lolohea Mahe (4-1-1).
Kaufman is featured in the co-main event.
"I don't make the cards, but generally you have a title fight as the main event, if you don't have two title fights," she noted dryly.
So is her hope that a good performance Friday will show promoters what they are missing from their showcase fight cards?
"That's my hope," Kaufman said. "That was my hope last time and the fight before that.
"I'm going to keep fighting, do what I can and hope that the fan support and the media support kind of pushes Strikeforce in the direction of getting me off these Challengers cards."
Kaufman sees Modafferi (15-5) as a grappler with some unorthodox striking skills. Kaufman is known for her striking, as witnessed by eight straight knockouts to open her career.
While she now holds the title, Kaufman says there will no more pressure on her Friday.
"I think it's just another fight," she said. "It's a big fight, it's an important fight but at the same time it's just another fight."
Life has not changed that much since winning the title although Kaufman says people are excited to have a world champion in Victoria, especially those who train with her.
Kaufman continues to work full time at the Zuma gym in Victoria, where she trains, teaches and works full time as office manager.
"I'm the same person, I haven't changed," she said. "I still love SpongeBob Squarepants."
After finding a local stylist to braid her hair this week, Kaufmann pronounced herself ready to go for the fight at the Comcast Arena — home of the WHL Everett Silvertips.
"I actually feel like I look ridiculous with my hair braided, albeit somewhat gangster and tough, but it definitely for me is a necessity. I just don't want to be worried about my hair coming out. ... One less thing to think about."
Should Kaufman win, she will face the winner of a four-woman single-elimination tournament slated for Aug. 13 in Phoenix.
The four would-be challengers are Miesha (Takedown) Tate, Carina (Beauty But The Beast) Damm, Hitomi (Girlfight Monster) Akano and Maiju Kujala.
The winner will become the official No. 2 contender in Kaufman's division.
Strikeforce says next up for the welterweight champion is Marloes Coenen, with the tournament winner next in line.
UFC president Dana White's explanation for not having a women's division in his promotion is lack of depth. Kaufman sees that, recognizing that there are perhaps 10-12 women in the top echelon "and then there's a big jump, in terms of technical ability and experience.
"I think over the next couple of years that's really going to (change) ... There are a lot of talented women that are coming into the sport and that are getting some experience now."
She points to the 200 women who train at Zuma. Most are there just for the workout, but some want to follow in Kaufman's footsteps.
The five-foot-five Kaufman — who usually walks around at 153 pounds, cutting to 135 to fight — got into MMA when the Zuma gym opened in the same building where she was taking dance lessons.
Her studies at the University of Victoria — she was contemplating pre-men — have been put aside as she focuses on fighting.
"Usually it's an interesting reaction," she says when asked how people respond when they find out she fights in a cage. "For the most part, it's pretty positive. And everyone thinks it's really interesting and something totally different. Which for a lot of people who work a day job, it definitely is.
"But I haven't really had too much negativity towards it. More just intrigue and kind of excitement and 'Oh, that's cool that you do that, I don't know if I'd do it.'
"Or you get the "I wouldn't want to meet you in a dark alley' comment a lot."
