Ultimate Fighting Championship
Sarah Kaufman: Miesha Tate "ducked me and is a coward"
Ultimate Fighting Championship

Sarah Kaufman: Miesha Tate "ducked me and is a coward"

Published Feb. 10, 2015 8:30 p.m. ET

Former Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman was doing everything in her power to land a fight with Miesha Tate, but when the UFC matchmakers came calling with an opponent, they had an entirely different name in mind.

Instead of facing Tate, Kaufman was offered a third fight with fellow Canadian Alexis Davis, who she's beaten on both previous occasions.  Kaufman is currently closing in on a year away from the sport so she had no problem facing Davis in a trilogy because really she just wanted to fight again after an extended absence following a car accident in 2014 that put her on the shelf until last October.

Now that she has a fight made, Kaufman is excited to focus on a training camp to get ready for action, but that doesn't mean her grudge with Tate is going away any time soon.

Kaufman took aim at Tate again on Tuesday after receiving word that she was going to face Davis at UFC 186 instead.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I am very excited Davis took this fight after Tate repeatedly turned it down," Kaufman told FOX Sports on Tuesday.  "Truth be told, I was really hoping for a tune-up fight since I have been out for so long with my injury and Miesha was the perfect opponent.

"But you only get tough fights in the UFC, so I get why the matchmakers are satisfied with this bout."

Kaufman commented just days ago that she believed Tate and many of the other top fighters at 135-pounds avoided a fight with her because she is well known as a hard-nosed striker with knockout power in both hands. 

Kaufman was dumbfounded why Tate wouldn't answer her constant call outs, especially considering she holds a win over the No. 2 ranked fighter from 2009.  Then again to hear Kaufman tell it, she might have just saved Tate a lot of money in plastic surgery bills.

"I can't really blame Miesha either, we all know she is a bit a "sex symbol" in the UFC. Can you imagine the damage I would have inflicted on her face? Yikes! I don't know if the general public was ready for that," Kaufman said.

"I think the only reason the UFC is making a match against someone I beat twice already is only because Tate ducked me and is a coward. Two things Davis is not."

The second fight between Kaufman and Davis from 2012 in Strikeforce is considered one of the best women's MMA fights of all time.  Both fighters are more than capable of doing the same the third time around as well and that probably went a long way towards making this matchup for UFC 186.

As for Tate and every other fighter who Kaufman couldn't land as an opponent, she's mostly just disappointed in the lack of aggression from the other athletes who don't seem to fight as badly as she does right now.

Thankfully Davis was game

"I'm disappointed with all the girls who won't sign a fight contract versus me and am grateful Davis has stepped up to the challenge," Kaufman said.  "UFC 186 will be a night to remember."

share


Get more from Ultimate Fighting Championship Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more