Former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion Sarah Kaufman will have to wait at least a little longer for a shot at regaining her title. Kaufman will next face fellow Canadian Alexis Davis in a rematch on March 3rd in Columbus, Ohio. The contender’s bout was officially announced tonight.

Also confirmed for the March 3rd card tonight were a pair of intriguing men’s bouts. “King” K.J. Noons faces Josh Thomson in a matchup first reported by MMAjunkie.com yesterday. British knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley battles Japanese veteran Kazuo Misaki in a featured welterweight clash.

Kaufman (14-1-0) and Davis (11-4-0) first faced off in April 2007 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The bout was Davis’s pro debut and Kaufman’s fourth fight. Kaufman emerged victorious via third-round TKO and went on to capture 135-pound titles in both Hardcore Championship Fighting and Strikeforce. Her unbeaten streak came to an end at the hands of Marloes “Rumina” Coenen in October 2010, but she has since battled back with two victories. Davis, meanwhile, has won back-to-back fights in Strikeforce, including an impressive stoppage of Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes in September.

The fight between Kaufman and Davis is expected to serve as a number one contender’s bout, with the winner going on to face the victor of the title fight between Miesha “Takedown” Tate and “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey on the same March 3rd card. Both fighters have campaigned for shots at the title, with Kaufman being particularly outspoken in her belief that she is the rightful number one contender, but she will first have to get past Davis in the rematch.

Noons (11-4-0) and Thomson (18-4-0, 1 NC) both look to get back in Strikeforce title contention. Noons previously reigned as EliteXC Lightweight Champion, while Thomson has already held the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship. Noons recently ended a two-fight losing streak with a decision victory over Billy Evangelista and could be one big win away from a shot at current Strikeforce champ Gilbert “El Niño” Melendez. Thomson has battled injury woes in recent years, but has won two of his past three fights since losing his belt to Melendez in the pair’s December 2009 rematch.

Daley (29-11-2) and Misaki (24-11-2, 1 NC) have both been involved in some of MMA’s most entertaining bouts in recent years. Daley is widely regarded as one of the hardest hitters in the welterweight division and he came perilously close to knocking out then-Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz last April before succumbing to strikes himself. He now faces Misaki, whose two title battles with Jorge “The Sandman” Santiago in Sengoku were both Fight of the Year candidates. Misaki has since knocked out two straight opponents, but he has not fought since April.

Strikeforce’s upcoming March 3rd event takes place at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. While originally expected to feature the final of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, it now appears that the card will be headlined by the Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Championship bout between Tate and Rousey.

(Photo Credit: Esther Lin, Strikeforce)