Strikeforce 135lb woman’s champion Ronda Rousey will embark upon her first title defense against former champ Sarah Kaufman on August 18th.
That’s the word from MMAfighting.com’s Ariel Helwani who cites sources close to the situation as having targeted San Diego for the event.
A former Olympic Judo silver medalist, Rousey has single-handedly injected new life into female MMA after transitioning to the sport, winning all five of her fights to date by first round armbar, including against former Strikeforce title holder Miesha Tate back in March.
In Kaufman she’ll face another tough opponent who’s lost just once in her 16 fight career against Marloes Coenen and has compiled a three-fight winning streak since then.
More experienced than Rousey, and also holding a win over Miesha Tate, Kaufman feels she’s been overlooked for some time and will be keen to wrench the title she once held back from one of the sport’s fastest rising stars.
