Sarah Kaufman knows what it’s like to be in the cage with current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey; Sara McMann has yet to taste that experience.
Ariel Helwani broke the news on UFC Tonight that on August 28, the two women will face each other on the second UFC on FOX Sports 1 card—in what could potentially be a No. 1 contender fight.
@arielhelwani Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana will play host to the inaugural Wednesday night fight card on the yet-to-launch sports channel.
A terrific job in matchmaking by the UFC—putting a former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion who is 4-1 in her last five fights against the undefeated 7-0 former Olympic silver medalist. Kaufman wants to get another shot at Rousey’s crown, and McMann has often been talked about as having the style that is best suited for dethroning the current champion.
Kaufman has fought four of the current top 10 women’s bantamweights in the UFC in her career, defeating three of them. The lone defeat in those four fights came at the hands of Ronda Rousey via armbar, last August in Strikeforce.
The Victoria, British Columbian fighter is 16-2; her only other loss was to another former Strikeforce champion, Marloes Coenen. She has long been considered one of the best women fighters in her division and is coming in off a win vs. Leslie Smith at Invicta FC 5—which earned her “Fight of the Night” honors.
McMann will be facing her toughest test to date in Kaufman. The 32-year-old made a smashing debut at UFC 159, scoring a lopsided TKO victory over Sheila Gaff. Her other most notable victory was by unanimous decision over Shayna Bazler at Invicta FC 2 in July of last year.
The former Olympian is also a decorated no-gi grappler, having medaled at ADCC, The World Championships and the Pan American games. She has finished four out of her seven opponents thus far, with three of those by way of submission.
The No. 2-ranked Kaufman’s seven years of experience against the No. 4-ranked McMann’s seven-fight of experience has the potential to be a great battle, and is easily an early favorite for “Fight of the Night” honors.
Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report
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