As an American living in Japan, many promoters in North America opted not to fly Modafferi in to compete at their events and instead used lower-ranked fighters who resided inside the United States.

This trend continued throughout 2009 and Modafferi repeatedly stood by as she was passed over in favour of other fighters. As a result, she was unable to showcase her talents in front of a large audience. Due to internal politics among Japanese MMA promotions and her former gym, Modafferi could not get a fight in Japan, either.

 

Just as all hope seemed to be lost, Modafferi received a 3:00 A.M. phone call asking her if she would like to rematch Coenen on November 7th as part of the Strikeforce: “Fedor vs Rogers” event.

Despite having to come up in weight for the fight and having just nine days to prepare, Modafferi leapt at the opportunity and the smile hasn’t left her face since.

Her positive attitude and comedic antics – including asking opponent Coenen for her autograph when the two met in Chicago two days ago – have already endeared her to those nearby.

When not busy playing video games or being force-fed cake by her “nutritional advisors,” Modafferi has adjusted to a completely different time zone as she prepares for one of the biggest fights of her career.

 

For those who have yet to see Modafferi compete, rest assured that she will give 100% in every fight that she is a part of. Aiming not only to win but to gain fans along the way with exciting performances, Modafferi is one of the best additions to the Strikeforce women’s division to date.

On November 7th, she will step inside a Strikeforce cage for the first time when she looks to go two-for-two against Coenen in a fight that is rumoured to be a #1 contender’s bout for the Strikeforce Women’s Lightweight (145-Pound) Championship. The title is currently held by Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.

Much like undefeated Canadian Sarah Kaufman in her Strikeforce debut, nothing will take the smile off of Modafferi’s face when she finally receives her chance to compete in front of a large North American audience on Saturday.

  1. […] to her Strikeforce debut on Saturday and she has a lot of supporters who are wishing her the best. Roxanne Modafferi’s Journey To Strikeforce | MMARising.com With a little luck, the rematch between Roxanne and Marloes Coenen will make the CBS […]