Tag: Sarah Kaufman

Farewell, fighters: A list of former UFC champs and more MMA notables who retired in 2022

The MMA world said goodbye to more than 35 notable fighters in 2022, from former UFC champions to future UFC Hall of Famers and more.

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently fighters from the era that helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves to move on to the next chapters in their lives.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete and, perhaps more importantly, get a payday will continue to drive fighters back, even well beyond their expiration dates.

In 2022, there was an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are retired, and we have a list of those who opted to walk away last year.

UFC veteran, ex-Strikeforce champ Sarah Kaufman announces retirement: ‘I have loved every second in the cage’

UFC veteran and former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman calls it a career after 16 years and 27 pro fights.

It was a long and winding road for [autotag]Sarah Kaufman[/autotag], with many stops along the way, but she’s finally reached the end of her journey.

Kaufman, a pioneer of Canadian women’s mixed martial arts, called it a career Thursday when she officially announced her retirement on social media. She was the inaugural Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion, a former UFC fighter, a PFL playoff qualifier, and an Invicta FC champ.

At 36, Kaufman (22-5) walks away from the sport having won five of her most recent six fights. Her resume includes wins over Alexis Davis, Miesha Tate, Roxanne Modafferi, Liz Carmouche, Leslie Smith, Jessica-Rose Clark, and Pannie Kianzad, among others.

In 27 professional fights, she only lost to Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Davis, Larissa Pacheco, and Marloes Coenen.

Check out Davis’ full statement:

“While I’ve known since the beginning of my career that it couldn’t continue forever, it’s a bit surreal to finally announce that I am officially retiring from the professional sport of MMA. While I have made my last walk as a competitor, I will always be involved in some capacity as a coach and a recreational athlete. I have loved every second in the cage and the amazing people I have met around the world will forever be part of my family.

“Starting out at 20 years old, I wasn’t sure exactly who I was as a person; but through my 17 year journey, all the people and experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. I am proud of my accomplishments and how I always carried myself with poise, professionalism and never compromised my integrity to get ahead.

“I have been fortunate to have worked with the most amazing coaches and teammates: I couldn’t have done it without you. To all of the competitors I shared the cage with, the teammates I shared hours training with, the fans and supporters who were behind me, the sponsors who enabled me to do what I. love, the media who gave me a platform to get my story out there, the promotions who had me step in their cages:

“Thank you.

“To my head coach, Adam Zugec, Zuma teammates, and longtime strength coach Ty Goodale: thank you for being in my corner always. To the Jackson-Wink crew, the Roufusport crew, the Syndicate Crew, you will always be family. There are too many people to thank individually. You know who you are. You are appreciated.

“I have nothing else to say except I am sad the journey has ended but am also at peace knowing I gave everything I could to the sport of MMA. I hope I left it better than when I started.

“I am excited to be moving on on my terms and stepping into a new career where I can continue to help others in the community.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfcFKUSJmeI/

Kaufman’s pro MMA journey began in 2006. Eight fights into her career, she was still unbeaten and attracted the eyes of the Scott Coker regime, which headed Strikeforce at the time. She was signed to Strikeforce Challengers, where she continued to rack up wins and went 4-0, defeating Takayo Hashi to become the first Strikeforce women’s champ at 135 pounds.

She defended it once against Roxanne Modafferi and then, at 12-0, she lost the belt to Marloes Coenen by third-round armbar submission. Back to the drawing board, she rebuilt. Three consecutive wins earned her a second crack at Strikeforce gold, this time vs. Ronda Rousey, who submitted Kaufman in 54 seconds by armbar.

A win over Leslie Smith in Invicta earned Kaufman a UFC contract. She made her UFC debut in 2013 and lost, but the result was overturned to a no contest after her opponent, Jessica Eye, failed a drug test.

In her next bout, Kaufman rematched Smith and won a unanimous decision. Back-to-back losses to Alexis Davis and Valentina Shevchenko landed her on the UFC chopping block.

One win later, she signed with Invicta and became the bantamweight champion with a unanimous decision win over Pannie Kianzad. In 2019, she joined the PFL and went 1-0 in the regular season before she was eliminated from the playoffs by Larissa Pacheco.

Her final MMA competition came in November 2019 when she defeated Bellator alum Jessy Miele for regional promotion BTC.

Kaufman was booked to compete at PAWFC 1 in January, but her bout was canceled due to travel issues with scheduled opponent Claudia Leite.

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12 former UFC fighters who could return to the promotion in 2022

It’s hard to make it to the UFC. It’s even more difficult to make it a second time.

It’s hard to make it to the UFC.

Thousands of professional fighters try every year – and most fail. For a small percentage, however, they sign their names on the dotted line to fight for the biggest MMA promotion in the world.

Sometimes the opportunity comes a bit too soon. Other times, they’re faced with difficult matchups that time proves were bigger challenges than originally anticipated.

When the pink slip comes and a fighter departs the promotion, there is often a phrase they hear on the way out: “Go get a few more wins, and the UFC will consider bringing you back.”

Easier said than done.

For the vast majority of those departing the UFC, they won’t be back. However, it’s not impossible. A number of fighters have done it over the years. Just look at UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. He was released from the promotion, built his way back, became a contender, and then won a UFC title. Others like Brandon Davis, Jesse Ronson, Nicolas Dalby, Chase Sherman, Sean Soriano, and Dustin Jacoby have reinforced it being possible.

With the new year upon us, here are 12 former UFC fighters who could return to the promotion in 2022.

Note: Fighters considered for this list had to have competed in at least one UFC bout.

Combat Rewind, June 1: Mark Munoz goes ‘Donkey Kong’ in WEC

Check out the best highlights from this day in history with MMA Junkie’s “Combat Rewind.”

There’s “Flashback Friday” and “Throwback Thursday” (and Tuesday, too, if you want). But at MMA Junkie, we figured why not expand that to every day?

“Combat Rewind” brings you some of combat sports’ best highlights from every calendar day of the year. It’s a look back at history, courtesy of the UFC Fight Pass archives, featuring stellar finishes and classic moments in MMA and beyond on their anniversaries.

So kick back and relive the following bits of greatness in the video above:

  • WEC 34: [autotag]Mark Munoz[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Chuck Grigsby[/autotag] – June 1, 2008
  • TKO 29: [autotag]Jonathan Goulet[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Travis Axworthy[/autotag] – June 1, 2007
  • Pancrase – Shining 5: [autotag]Yukio Sakaguchi[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Masakazu Kuramochi[/autotag] – June 1, 2008
  • TKO 29: [autotag]Sarah Kaufman[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Valerie Letourneau[/autotag] – June 1, 2007

Fight footage courtesy of UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s official digital subscription service, which is currently offering a seven-day free trial. UFC Fight Pass gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s biggest fight library.

Sarah Kaufman thinks PFL’s decision to cancel season ‘makes sense’

Sarah Kaufman will not get to compete this year, but has no hard feelings toward the PFL.

[autotag]Sarah Kaufman[/autotag] will not get to compete this year, but has no hard feelings toward the PFL.

The PFL made the decision to suspend the entire 2020 season due to growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, but Kaufman (21-5 MMA, 1-1 PFL) understands what prompted the promotion’s decision.

“It does make sense,” Kaufman told MMA Junkie. “The biggest, the most unique and the most exciting part of the PFL is their format, and it could not have been an easy decision. Going from what was a great PFL 1, into a build for PFL 2, I think that we now have a lot of buzz around the PFL. It’s very exciting. There are a lot of big names that are now part of the PFL that were signed on for Season 3, and so to have the postponement is hard – but it’s very understandable.

“Given just the fact that we have 25, I think, countries represented within the PFL – so to have that many different people flying in from different places, the logistics of all that travel and the safety and the precautions that would need to be taken if it was even possible, I understand.”

Kaufman, who joined the PFL roster in 2019, was eliminated in the lightweight semifinals with a decision loss to Larissa Pacheco.

Though she admitted not getting to compete this year is a tough pill to swallow, Kaufman holds no ill will toward the PFL’s decision to cancel the season.

“It’s hard as a fighter to know that you’re not fighting potentially for a full year, and that you’re prepared for something that is now being moved,” she said. “But I definitely understand where the PFL is coming from, and I respect the hard decision that they had to make.”

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Sarah Kaufman featured in new episode of PFL’s ‘Run it Back’ series

Most mixed martial arts action is on hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic, but PFL will help fill the void with its “Run it Back” series.

Most mixed martial arts action is on hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic, but the PFL will help fill the void with its “Run it Back” series.

Mixed martial arts action is on hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic, but the PFL will help fill the void with its “Run it Back” series.

“Run it Back” features PFL fighters looking back on their million-dollar championship victories. The fifth episode – which streams live Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on the promotion’s YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels – will feature 2019 signee [autotag]Sarah Kaufman[/autotag].

This week’s episode features a look back at the PFL debut of Canadian MMA trailblazer Sarah Kaufman. Sarah entered the 2019 PFL season as the most seasoned fighter in MMA’s first-ever women’s lightweight division and the favorite to meet Kayla Harrison in the championship. She did not disappoint at PFL 1, earning a first-round submission win by arm triangle over Morgan Frier. The win improved her career record to 21-4, and the six points catapulted her to atop the division standings.

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New episodes of “Run it Back” will air each Thursday.

You can hear Kaufman talk about her PFL arrival in the video above.

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