Invicta champ Kaufman lobbies for UFC return; Pennington, Zingano or even Cyborg would do

CALGARY – Sarah Kaufman has a belt, and she’s right back to where she started.

The women’s MMA veteran from British Columbia claimed the Invicta FC bantamweight championship in May with a third-round submission of Katharina Lehner. Since then, prospective opponents haven’t been forthcoming.

“It seems like (Invicta FC President) Shannon (Knapp) is struggling any 135ers who are willing to step up and take the fight,” Kaufman (20-4) told MMAjunkie during a post-event press conference at UFC on FOX 30 from Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta Canada. “So I’m looking at the UFC and hoping their 135ers are up for the challenge and aren’t scared.”

Kaufman, 32, is no stranger to waiting for opponents. In her previous UFC run, she fought Alexis Davis a third time because no other fighter on the promotion’s roster would accept. Her resume is punctuated by long stretches of inactivity.

A split-decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko in 2015 triggered Kaufman’s release from the UFC, but she wants another chance and believes there’s a precedent for giving her one.

“I want to be the best in the world, and the UFC is where that’s happening,” Kaufman said. “Invicta’s amazing, but there’s just not the girls to fight me right now. None of them are willing to say yes.

“I want to be challenging (UFC women’s bantamweight champ) Amanda Nunes. I understand that having a fight or two before that is probably what needs to happen. But I’m willing to do that.”

Kaufman said a fight with Raquel Pennington (9-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) or Cat Zingano (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) would prove she’s a legitimate contender in the UFC women’s bantamweight division.

Kaufman added the UFC’s upcoming trip to Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, for UFC Fight Night 138 presents a perfect opportunity to put her Canadian roots to use.

“The Canadian talent went 3-4 (at UFC on FOX 30 in Calgary),” she said. “I want to bring that number up. I could be the queen of Canadian MMA. But I need the opportunity.”

Pennington, who was in Calgary to support her partner and UFC on FOX 30 fighter Tecia Torres, called out Zingano for her next bout. Kaufman said if Pennington or Zingano won’t accept, she could move up to the featherweight division in Invicta FC.

“Then I could challenge for the vacant belt and become Invicta’s ‘champ-champ,’ and then I can’t be denied,” Kaufman said.

A featherweight belt would make Kaufman even more of a prime candidate to cross over to the UFC for a meeting with UFC women’s featherweight champ Cris Cyborg (20-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who’s likely to face bantamweight champ Nunes (16-4 MMA, 9-1) later this year in another superfight.

Cyborg is no stranger to waiting for opponents herself. Her two most recent opponents were pulled from Invicta’s bantamweight ranks. Kaufman, though, is happy to provide a solution.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Sarah Kaufman

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