Former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion Sarah Kaufman will make her Octagon debut against Olympic silver medallist Sara McMann at UFC on FOX Sports 1 #2: “Condit vs Kampmann 2” on August 28th in Indianapolis, Indiana. The bout was officially announced on UFC Tonight.
Kaufman is coming off of a razor-thin Split Decision victory over Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith at Invicta FC 4. She has won four of her past five fights. McMann remains unbeaten in her MMA career and she made a successful UFC debut by stopping Sheila “The German Tank” Gaff at UFC 159.
Kaufman (16-2-0) became the inaugural Strikeforce 135-pound women’s champion when she defeated Takayo Hashi in February 2010. She retained her title with a third-round powerbomb slam knockout of Roxanne “The Happy Warrior” Modafferi five months later before suffering her first loss against Marloes “Rumina” Coenen. Kaufman fought her way back into title contention with three straight wins, but she succumbed to a 54-second armbar from current UFC champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey in August. Kaufman got back on track with the close win over Smith in April and now makes her UFC debut.
McMann (7-0-0) is widely regarded as the top female wrestler in MMA. The Olympian dominated her first five professional opponents and totalled notable wins over Tonya “Triple Threat” Evinger and Hitomi “Girlfight Monster” Akano along the way. In July, McMann faced her toughest opponent to date, Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler, in the main event of Invicta FC 2. McMann prevailed via a close and competitive Unanimous Decision to earn a spot on the UFC roster. In late April, she battered Gaff with punches from a top-side crucifix to earn an impressive first-round TKO victory.
UFC on FOX Sports 1 #2: “Condit vs Kampmann 2” takes place on August 28th at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Photo Credit: UFC)
I love Kaufman, but this is a very tough match-up for her. I think this will be the first time we will see her being muscled around — if there is one girl in the division who is stronger than she, this girl is McMann.
McMann’s athleticism will be too much for her, IMO.
Either McMann will outpoint her or will win by t.k.o. (ground and pound).
BTW, this is the first time I see a “non protective” UFC women’s fight…
Um, Tate-Zingano?
I think the UFC expected Miesha to win… Tuff showcases that.
Miesha surely was practicing quick submissions, and was trying to mimick Ronda’s super fast armbars. Hence, her “I will shock the world. I want Ronda to be scared” speech.
it kind of backfired when Cat countered all submissions, and won in a brutal fashion.
I disagree with Rafael – I think this is a tough match up for McMann and a good one for Kaufman. McMann had great difficulty against Baszler’s striking, and Kaufman’s a much better striker than Baszler. Even more, Kaufman’s proven very difficult to take down, other than against Rousey, only Alexis Davis had managed to get Kaufman to the mat, and that was only in round 3, when the fight was already Kaufnam’s. McMann is in for a long, hard night against Kaufman — high probability it goes to a decision and I think Kaufman batters McMann badly en route.