Ronda Rousey vs Sarah Kaufman slated for August 18 in San Diego

Strikeforce women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey (5-0 MMA, 3-0 SF) will defend her title against former title-holder, Sarah Kaufman (15-1 MMA, 6-1 SF), on August 18, in San Diego at Valley View Casino Center, which has hosted two previous Strikeforce shows. The event will include a main card on Showtime and preliminary fights on Showtime Extreme.

Rousey won the title with a first-round armbar-submission over Miesha Tate in March. The Olympic bronze-medal judoka has yet to see a second round. She has submitted all of her opponents via armbar; four of which were less than one minute. Ironically, Kaufman’s sole loss was by armbar at the hands of Marloes Coenen.

Kaufman should prove a tough opponent with 10 of her 15 victories coming by way of knockout. She is coming off a four-fight win streak of her own; against opponents such as Megumi Yabushita, Liz Carmouche and Alexis Davis. Kaufman is the former title holder who lost the belt to Coenen, who lost it to Tate, who lost it to Rousey.
Rousey has been in the public eye recently; most notably by lobbying on behalf of Strikeforce parent company Zuffa to legalize MMA in New York. This fall she is expected to appear on ESPN’s “The Body Issue.”

Rousey is noted for her talking-down of future opponents, but she hasn’t been disrespectful to Kaufman. In an interview with Inside MMA‘s Ron Kruck, she said: “It’s a grappler vs. striker match-up…she’s the best striker I’ve ever faced, but she’s been tapped out before, by less skilled people.”