It’s been a long time coming for Sarah Kaufman to finally get a fight.
Kaufman (21-5), from Victoria, B.C., is set to headline BTC 13 on Saturday against Bellator veteran, Jessy Miele (9-5).
It will be the Canadian’s first fight since her decision loss to Larissa Pachecho in Oct. 2019 at lightweight in the PFL. Since then, Kaufman has wanted to fight at bantamweight. However, no one accepted fights against her, so she will now move up to featherweight to face Miele on Saturday.
“Realistically, it has been this way for most of my career. I’ve been on weight for an entire year hoping something would come up, but there are no takers for Sarah Kaufman,” Kaufman said to MMA Empire.
“It is a vast desert of people that want to fight me, as it is frustrating from my side. There is a side of fans telling me that it is great that you are that good that no one wants to fight you. But, like no, it means I can’t get fights. I have wanted a fight at 135 pounds for years now. I’m not interested in 145 pounds and I even debated not taking this one for that reason, but I needed to fight.”
If Kaufman, 36, gets her hand raised on Saturday, she believes that should be enough to get back into the UFC.
The Canadian doesn’t think she should’ve ever been released and, with that, she knows she could hang with anyone in the bantamweight division.
“I don’t think I need any wins to get back to the UFC. My resume and skillset has proven that. I have proven I’m elite and should be fighting the best girls in the world,” Kaufman concluded.
“The UFC needs new talent and new matchups. For me, I haven’t fought most of the girls in the top 10, minus Miesha Tate. There are so many matchups that can be made with me. I’m someone the UFC should need and want, and a win puts me on a path to getting back there.”
Although Miele isn’t known to many of the hardcore fans, Kaufman says she thought she would’ve fought the American years ago.
They were offered to fight one another awhile back. After seeing Miele compete in Bellator, Kaufman thought the fight made sense.
“We have been scheduled to fight a few times over the years. We were scheduled to fight at 135 pounds in 2017 or 2018. However, the promoters messed it up and it didn’t work out,” Kaufman said.
“She’s been on my radar for awhile now. She’s fought in Bellator, so she has good experience and fought good competition like Julia Budd.”
In the fight, Kaufman is confident in her skill set that she’ll be able to control Miele no matter where the fight takes place.
Kaufman knows she has all the tools to earn the win, but she is also hoping to get the stoppage win to prove she is an elite-level fighter.
“I’m expecting this is to be a gritty fight as she is tough and she’s looking to build her name off mine. I wouldn’t say she is elite in one aspect but is well-rounded in all. There is no huge glaring hole in her game,” Kaufman said.
“That is why she is durable and able to stay in these fights. I’m confident that I will be able to get ahold of her and land the big shots. If I can do that, I’m confident I’ll be superior in all areas to get my hand raised, and hopefully get the stoppage win.”
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