Rousey vs. Kaufman: Strikeforce Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More | UFC Betting Sites

Rowdy Ronda Rousey is officially the first true star of women’s MMA, and a win over Sarah Kaufman will only expedite her ascent to household-name status.

Rousey headlining a card over male fighters is a statement in this frequently male-dominated sport. The fact that it’s the second time she’s been in this position confirms her star level.

Kaufman is no pushover, though.

She will represent the biggest challenge Rousey has faced in her MMA career. Rousey is 5-0, and she has submitted each of her opponents in the first round. But none of her opponents have been as good in standup attacks as Kaufman.

Rousey defeated former champion Miesha Tate in her last bout, but Kaufman also owns a victory over Tate. Defeating Tate is no simple or frequent occurrence. She’s 12-3 in her MMA career, and these two ladies have accounted for two of the three losses.

This is a classic example of two different styles clashing, and the winner will be the fighter who can impose her will and style on her opponent.

Here is a look at the entire card and how you can catch the action:

When: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 10 p.m. ET

Where: Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, CA

TV: Showtime

Live Stream: Showtime Anytime (paid service)

Complete Card

Main Card

Ronda Rousey (5-0) vs. Sarah Kaufman (15-1) – Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Ronaldo Souza (15-3, 1 NC) vs. Derek Brunson (9-1)
Roger Bowling (11-2) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (12-3)
Lumumba Sayers (6-2) vs. Anthony Smith (16-8)
T.J. Cook (12-4) vs. Ovince St. Preux (11-5)

Prelims

Miesha Tate (12-3) vs. Julie Kedzie (16-10)
Bobby Green (18-5) vs. Matt Ricehouse (6-0)
Adlan Amagov (9-2-1) vs. Keith Berry (11-9)
Germaine de Randamie (2-2) vs. Hiroko Yamanaka (12-1)

Card Analysis and Predictions

Prelims

The prelims have two interesting bouts on tap. The Bobby Green-Matt Ricehouse clash could be among the most exciting of the night. It features two 25-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artists who have promising careers ahead of them.

Green has far more experience, but Ricehouse has begun his career 5-0.

Green has had the majority of his fights on the west coast, and he is the reigning lightweight King of the Cage. He was born in California and fights out of Fontana, so he’ll be enjoying a decided home-field advantage.

If Ricehouse can pull off a victory over the far more experienced Green on his home turf, it will make a significant statement.

I think this bout will be close, but I predict a decision victory for Bobby Green.

The other bout in the prelim section of the card that jumps out at me is Tate vs. Kedzie.

Tate is returning from her nasty defeat at the hands of Rousey in March. Rousey dislocated Tate’s elbow with the arm bar, as you can see below:

It will be interesting to see how Tate responds after losing her title in such a gruesome fashion. She is the superior fighter in this matchup, but nasty losses can have psychological effects on fighters.

My prediction is a win by decision for Tate over Kedzie.

Here are my predictions for the other fights on the prelim card:

Yamanaka over Randamie by submission
Amagov over Berry by TKO

Main Card

Besides the main event, I’m looking forward to one other fight on the main card. Lumumba Sayers is an exciting young fighter, and I’m eager to see him clash with Anthony Smith.

Sayers is a grappler by primary discipline, but he has KO power in his fists. He displayed that in his KO of Antwain Britt in November.

I believe he is a rising star at middleweight, and this fight will be a showcase for him.

Smith has a ton of heart, and he isn’t bashful about his attack, but I expect Sayers to handle him. This fight has spectacular KO written all over it.

My prediction is a second-round KO win for Sayers.

In the main event, Kaufman will push Rousey hard, and I believe she will be the first to land significant strikes against Rousey. I’m even predicting Rousey’s face will be marked a bit by the time this one ends.

The outcome will depend on whether Rousey can maintain her composure and stick to her game plan. If she gets hit and abandons her relentless approach to take the fight to the ground, she’ll be in trouble.

I think she’ll stay composed and pull out a hard-fought, tough, late submission victory over Kaufman. This one won’t be as pretty as her previous five fights, but a win is a win.

Here are my predictions for the other fights on the main card: