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FIGHT ODDS

Kaufman to Defend Strikeforce Belt, Diaz to Fight Oct. 9

Brian KnappAug 22, 2010

Strikeforce women’s welterweight champion Sarah Kaufman will defend her crown against Dutch submission specialist Marloes Coenen on Oct. 9 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., the promotion announced on Saturday.

Perfect in 12 professional appearances, Kaufman last appeared in July, when she knocked out Roxanne Modafferi with a third-round slam at Strikeforce Challengers 9. The 24-year-old Canadian has delivered nine of her 12 career victories by knockout or technical knockout and owns notable victories against current Raging Wolf women’s champion Alexis Davis, EliteXC veteran Shayna Baszler and 2010 Strikeforce women’s welterweight tournament winner Miesha Tate. Kaufman trains out of the Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts camp in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Coenen has not competed since she succumbed to third-round strikes from Strikeforce women’s middleweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos in January. A protégé of Martin de Jong, she has secured more than half (12) of her 17 wins by submission. The 29-year-old Golden Glory rep has never lost back-to-back fights.

Meanwhile, Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz will appear at the event against a yet-to-be-named opponent.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, Diaz has posted 19 of his 22 victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. The volatile 27-year-old Stockton, Calif., native will carry a seven-fight winning streak into his next appearance. He has not competed since he submitted Japanese veteran Hayato “Mach” Sakurai with an armbar at Dream 14 in May. Diaz received a three-month suspension for his role in a post-fight melee at a Strikeforce show four months ago in Nashville, Tenn. Wins over former EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler, one-time UFC middleweight kingpin Frank Shamrock and current Dream welterweight titleholder Marius Zaromskis dot his resume.

Finally, 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland will lock horns with once-beaten American Kickboxing Academy prospect Luke Rockhold in a featured middleweight duel.

Lindland last competed in May, when he stopped Kevin Casey on third-round punches at Strikeforce Challengers 8. The victory halted the first two-fight losing streak of his career. A professional since 1997, Lindland, now 40, counts wins over former UFC welterweight champions Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton among his 22 career conquests.

Rockhold will carry a six-fight winning streak into the match. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Dave Camarillo, the 25-year-old Santa Cruz, Calif., native has not fought since he scored a first-round technical knockout against Paul Bradley at Strikeforce Challengers 6 in February. In fact, none of Rockhold’s seven professional bouts have reached the second round.