Rousey vs. Kaufman Fight Card: Power Ranking the Main Card Fights
Rousey vs. Kaufman Fight Card: Power Ranking the Main Card Fights
Strikeforce has rolled in under the radar this weekend, headlined by a women's title bout between Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman.
In addition to that, an intriguing main card has been assembled featuring up-and-comers and fan-friendly fighters.
Here is the power ranking of the main card fights for Saturday night.
Lumumba Sayers vs. Anthony Smith
A middleweight bout between Lumumba Sayers and Anthony Smith opens up the power rankings.
Both men are well-rounded fighters with knockout power and underrated submission games. When matching the two up, one can see they will complement each other's styles well together.
But, as promising as Sayers is, this fight does not bring much "star power" to it. Anthony Smith, as undervalued as he is, doesn't attract many eyes.
The fight will likely be good, but does not carry enough weight on a card with other intriguing bouts.
Ovince St. Preux vs. T.J. Cook
Next up on the power rankings, a 205-lb battle between Ovince St. Preux and T.J. Cook is scheduled to bring excitement to fans.
Both men are good, powerful strikers that will entertain when on the feet. That said, when St. Preux wises up and takes the fight to the ground, Cook will be in big trouble.
Cook's ground game is green and St. Preux is a far better grappler. When that happens, a solid submission will come, but it won't be anything out of the ordinary.
Roger Bowling vs. Tarec Saffiedine
A key welterweight bout takes the middle spot of the power rankings, as Belgian Tarec Saffiedine takes on the exciting and powerful Roger Bowling.
If you are a fan of technical kickboxing matches, this may tickle your fancy. Both men are more than capable on the feet with their full arsenal of striking.
If this fight goes to the ground, however, it may not be nearly as aesthetically pleasing. I don't expect that to happen, so a Fight of the Night effort may follow.
Derek Brunson vs. Ronaldo Souza
Taking the runner-up spot on the ranking is a middleweight showdown between Ronaldo Souza and Derek Brunson.
First off, it must be noted that the winner of this fight may be in line for a title shot. Souza, being the former champion, is chomping at the bit to get another chance at current titleholder Luke Rockhold.
As for the fight, it has great potential to be a crowd-pleaser. Both men, though not elite strikers, will be more than willing to throw hands at one another.
On the ground, Souza is master of submission grappling. With Brunson's wrestling chops and ground and pound, however, it may be tough for Souza to fight off his back.
Either way, this one has high implications, which gives it a boost on the rankings.
Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman
Topping the list is the main event, a title bout between Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman.
This fight can go one of two ways. The first way is that Kaufman fights at a distance and peppers Rousey with strikes. It may earn a stoppage or just batter the champion until the judges render a decision.
The other way is that the two feel each other out and when Kaufman rushes in, she gets taken down by Rousey. From there, Rousey handles the Canadian on the ground and earns a tapout.
It should be a good fight and will be even better for women's MMA.