Sarah Kaufman: MMA's All-Canadian Fight Girl
Sarah Kaufman: MMA's All-Canadian Fight GirlBy Janine Duff |
“I think it’s less socially acceptable for females to have crooked noses or facial peculiarities,” Kaufman says. “The whole world is about aesthetics, so yes, the sport may change how you look. Those criticizing females in the sport will use any reason or argument. It’s not worth trying to persuade them into thinking differently. If people are critical of me, I typically try to get them to watch one of my fights. I’ve never had a negative reaction after.” The 24-year-old, 135-pound fighter was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and holds an 11-0 record in her professional MMA career. Considering that she started as a ballet dancer, it’s shocking to learn that she turned into a vicious ground-and-pound fighter with solid takedown defense and a deadly striking game that she’s used to crush formidable opponents such as Sara Schneider, Miesha Tate and Shayna Baszler. She’s also proved her ability to finish fights with eight consecutive TKO wins under her belt. Only three of her bouts have gone the distance. Kaufman started out doing muay Thai as a supplement to her dancing when Adam Zugec opened Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts below her dance school. She sampled a class and immediately got hooked. “Once I started training, my competitive side took over,” she says. “I really wanted to excel at the sport. I get to go head-to-head with another human and see how I fare. The joy and elation I feel when I fight is indescribable.” For the past seven years, Kaufman’s main coach has been Zugec. She also enlists the help of Greg Jackson and strength-and-conditioning coach Tyler Goodale. The majority of her training partners are men—and she prefers it that way. While she also enjoys sparring with fellow female fighters, she believes that her male counterparts better prepare her for battles in the cage. “They push me in a way that many females wouldn’t,” Kaufman explains. “The guys are heavier than I am and generally stronger. This forces me to improve my technique instead of muscling people around.” When prepping for a fight, Kaufman generally focuses on conditioning and improving her all-around skills. “It’s also important for me and my coach to watch footage of my opponent so we can generate a game plan, but once the fight is happening, I need to focus on what I want to do and not worry about what my opponent might do,” she says. Kaufman’s raw talent, commitment and discipline contributed to her impressive win over Ginele Marquez in 2007, when she claimed the Hardcore Championship Fighting women’s bantamweight title. Kaufman considers Marquez her toughest opponent to date and the biggest milestone in her MMA career. “It was the first time I was fighting someone who’d been around the game much longer than me, but it was also a five-round championship fight,” she says. Kaufman believes training for a five-round fight is more challenging on a physical level and a demanding emotional and mental test. “That fight was the first time I stepped into the cage and felt absolutely at peace,” she says. “I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.” Kaufman spent the summer of 2009 training in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Jackson, striking coach Michael Winkeljohn and veteran cage-fighter Julie Kedzie. She now teaches more than 200 women at ZUMA. “The sport is so great because aside from getting in shape and feeling good about oneself, it provides a person with a special camaraderie,” says Kaufman, who now competes for Strikeforce. “Training is a personal challenge, but you get to do it in a social atmosphere.” What’s next for the Canadian-born fighter? She says the person she’d most like to fight is Tara LaRosa, who’s rated No. 1 in the 135-pound weight division, with Kaufman holding the second spot. “We’re friends, but if she wants to hold onto that No. 1 spot, she’s either going to have to fight me or relinquish that position,” Kaufman says. (The profile originally appeared in July 2010 issue of Black Belt.) |
