Sarah Kaufman may be a dangerous striker, but she doesn’t have the reach, nor the ground game, to defeat Ronda Rousey.
As the challenger goes after Rousey’s Strikeforce bantamweight belt on Saturday in San Diego, Calif., she may have a shot of making it a contest if she stays on her feet.
Then again, that’s easier said than done.
Rousey owns a 5-0 record in her Strikeforce career. She’s won all five of her fights via armbar in the first round. And she’s coming off a signature defeat of Miesha Tate in March.
The strategy against Rousey is simple: keep it standing up and get through her boxing defense.
Unfortunately for Kaufman, Rousey is so adept at getting opponents on the ground that you can be in good position and still find yourself on the wrong end of a submission in a few seconds’ time.
Tate lasted a grand total of four minutes, 27 seconds, but it was over in an instant, with the 25-year-old suffering a dislocated elbow in the process.
The intrigue in Kaufman is that she will be the most accomplished striker Rousey has faced, with the potential to test her like she’s never been tested before. If there is one weakness for the defending champion, it’s that she’s not very comfortable standing up.
But Kaufman is bound to get thrown down at some point in the fight, and that’s been a recipe for disaster for Rousey’s opponents. She may have the endurance to last against Rousey, but she doesn’t have the skill on the ground to withstand Rousey’s submission attempts.
Kaufman’s best shot is landing a big hit on Rousey. Then again, she doesn’t have the greatest reach (66 inches), which makes it hard for her to throw inside without Rousey taking her down.
What does it all add up to?
Yet another victory, likely via armbar, for Rowdy.
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