Sarah Kaufman Hoping for UFC 161 Debut, Eyes Future Rematch with Ronda Rousey

Former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman hopes to debut in the UFC on the June 15 UFC 161 fight card in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The Canadian feels the timing would be perfect and that the fans want to see her on that card.

“It would be perfect timing.  Fight in April, have some time to get ready for a fight in June, fight in front of my home country, in front of my home country fans.  I think that a lot of people are really excited that I’m coming to the UFC,” Kaufman told MMAWeekly.com.

When the location of the UFC 161 event was announced, fans took to twitter and other social media expressing their interest in seeing Kaufman on the card.  Kaufman feels the fans can be the catalyst to make it happen.

“I’ve had a lot of really positive feedback from fans from all over on Twitter and Facebook, direct messages, emails, and it’s really exciting for me as a fighter to have that support and feel that love from the fans and know that they’re excited to see me fight and they want me to get in that cage,” said Kaufman.

“I really think that if the fans can get behind it, they can push Sean Shelby, push Dana White, let them know that they want to see me fighting on that Winnipeg card. I think that it’s going to happen,” she added.

Kaufman was defeated by Ronda Rousey in her last outing.  She is scheduled to face Leslie Smith in Invicta FC 5 on April 5 and hopes for a quick turnaround and an eventual rematch with Rousey.

“I really don’t think (a title shot) is very far off for me.  My last performance, I don’t even consider it a fight,” said Kaufman. “I had a great camp for it.  There are no excuses.  Ronda came in and started fast.  I didn’t really get to showcase any of my skills at all, and I really don’t even consider it a fight in my career.  It happened.  It’s on my record, but mentally it was more of a hiccup than anything else.

“I truly believe that I’m one of the best in the world and that I will be the best in the world according to all the rankings and I’d like to do that in the next year.  You know, fight Leslie, fight hard, get the win, hopefully a knockout,” she continued.  “At the end of the day, fight in the UFC, get a win and get that title shot and really prove why I deserve it and why I would be number one.”

Some still criticize Rousey, calling her a one-trick pony because she’s won all of her fights by armbar.  Kaufman isn’t one of those critics.  She believes Rousey uses what she does best and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

“She uses the one thing she’s good at, her Judo into a fast transition into the arm bar.  She sticks with it.  She gets it.  Sure, it’s one trick, but it’s been working, so why would you change it? You keep evolving your game, and if you need to, use it, but if you don’t need to, if you can get that win as fast as she has been doing, then why change that?”

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