Sarah Kaufman Eyes 135lb Title

Sarah Kaufman is hoping Woman's MMA grows and she gets to be 135 lb. StrikeForce Champ. (photo courtesy of VancouverSun.com)

 

MMAMADNESS: You are undefeated at 10-0 with 8 wins by TKO. Your last couple fights were with Strikeforce, so does that mean you are next in line to fight Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos?

Sarah Kaufman: My last two fights were both for Strikeforce, however they were at 135-pounds. Currently I’m focusing on my career at 135 and have heard rumors that Strikeforce is planning a 135-pound title at some point. I would really like to fight for that. Maybe if I had the 135-pound title, then we could arrange a title vs. title match-up. But that’s down the road.

MMAMADNESS: How do you like the matchup with Cyborg?

SK: I think that Cyborg is very talented. A match up with her would have to be at the right time for me … and then I would speak with my coach, Adam Zugec, about the right game plan for me. I think it would be an entertaining fight down the road, though.

MMAMADNESS: You don’t have any wins by submission. How is your ground game and who are you training with for both your striking and ground game?

SK: I train out of ZUMA in Victoria, BC. My coach for both stand up and ground is Adam Zugec. He is a black belt in [Brazilian Jiu Jitsu] under Marcus Soares – I am now a purple belt – as well as an instructor under Erik Paulson. My strength and conditioning coach is Tyler Goodale, and we have recently added Greg Jackson in the mix. I am very fortunate to be under the tutelage of so many amazing coaches and people.

MMAMADNESS: Where do you see female MMA going in the next few years?

SK: I am hoping that female MMA continues to grow in the public eye over the next few years. Strikeforce is at the forefront of our growing popularity, and with their help and support I would like to see women’s MMA become more wide spread. If one televised spot per card and one undercard spot could be consistently a women’s MMA match, I would be really happy. That will also help bring in more female talent, which in turn would make for more exciting fights. I’m not going to say that women will take over the MMA world, but it would be great if that could happen.

MMAMADNESS: Who do you admire in the MMA world and who would you like to train with that you haven’t been able to yet?

SK: I would really like to train with BJ Penn. To me, he has done a lot for the sport; he has stood up for what he believes is right or wrong (even if it turns out that he’s not always right), and he has fought in so many weight classes. To me, he seems like he would be fun to be around, but also has an infinite amount of talent.

MMAMADNESS: Erin Toughill has also been mentioned in the Strikeforce title picture. What are your thoughts on her and a matchup with her?

SK: I honestly don’t see myself ever fighting Erin Toughill. I am a 135lb fighter, and she is a much larger girl. She says that she is going to be fighting at 145, but until I saw her stand on a scale I wouldn’t believe that she could make that weight. I am sure Erin will be a tough fight for whomever they decide to put against her. It just won’t be me since the weight difference is not even close.

MMAMADNESS: As more and more women get into MMA, where do you see the weight classes falling and what is your ideal fighting weight?

SK: As I have said, I fight at 135lbs. I feel great at that weight, and at this point am not looking to go up or down. I would think that the weight classes will probably be focused around 125lb and 135lb divisions, as that is where the majority of ladies are. There is also quite a market for 115lbs (especially in Japan), and I think that we’ll start to see more women coming in at 145lbs since they have a title there. Right now though, there are many more matchups at 125 and 135lbs.

MMAMADNESS: When you are not training, what do you like to do to have fun or relax?

SK: I really live and breathe MMA. I teach at ZUMA, and then train… But I guess I would say that I enjoy some smaller activities like crosswords, jigsaw puzzles and watching movies. Lately I have been re-watching old Disney classics. I guess I like more relaxing activities since I’m always going.

MMAMADNESS: What are your thoughts on Gina Carano taking a break from MMA and signing on to be the lead in “Knockout?” Do you see her coming back to MMA?

SK: I think it’s great for Gina that she has found another avenue in which she can generate revenue. I hope that the movie goes well for her, but I would definitely like to see her fight again. I remember reading that Gina said that she would probably only fight a few more times, but who knows? I really believe that Gina is talented – and marketable, obviously – and that she still has so much more room to grow and improve on her MMA game.

MMAMADNESS: Do you have any advice for female fighters that are coming up or the female fans that look up to you?

SK: The best advice I think I could give females, or males, interested in getting into fighting is don’t wait until you are in shape. I have heard so many people say that they need to get in shape before they start training. Just find a gym that suits your wants and needs, and get in there. Maybe you just want to train for fun, maybe you want to train to fight, but the important thing to remember is that you are training because you want to. Even on those days when you are tired and sore, it is still your passion, so keep pushing through. For everyone who has enjoyed watching me fight, I hope that I can continue to keep you entertained. I promise I will always come to fight to the best of my ability, and I just ask that you give me – and all the other talented females out there – the opportunity to put on those entertaining fights.

Jacob Nuesser is a contributor to MMAmaddess.com and co-owner of Fight Chix Apparel