KANSAS CITY, Missouri 鈥� Victoria鈥檚 Sarah Kaufman again showed why she is one of sa国际传媒鈥檚 greatest female mixed martial artists.
The Islander submitted Katharina Lehner in the third round late Friday night to win the vacant Invicta FC bantamweight title at Invicta FC 29.
The 32-year-old Kaufman forced the 28-year-old German to tap at 4:30 of the third via a rear naked choke at the Scottish Rite Temple venue. Kaufman (20-4) had come close to finishing it in the second round with an arm triangle, but Lehner (7-1-0) survived, wagging her finger at the Canadian veteran as she regained her feet.
It marked the first submission victory for the 133-pound Kaufman, a former Strikeforce world champion.
The fight was contested on the feet until Kaufman secured double underhooks to engineer a takedown in the second round. She got another takedown in the third, opening up a cut over Lehner鈥檚 eyes with some ground and pound before locking in the choke.
Kaufman, a UFC veteran, walked out to Michael Jackson鈥檚 Beat It with friend and Olympic bobsled champion Kaillie Humphries in her corner.
The Islander joins Brazil鈥檚 Cris Cyborg as the only fighter to have won Strikeforce and Invicta titles.
Invicta Fighting Championships is a women鈥檚 MMA circuit.
Kaufman attended Claremont Secondary and is a University of Victoria graduate. Her highest world bantamweight ranking in the big-time UFC was at No. 5.
One of Kaufman鈥檚 four career losses came against the famous Ronda Rousey.
Among Kaufman鈥檚 training partners has been Holly Holm, another noted fighter.
Kaufman has trained and instructed at ZUMA/ Zugec Ultimate Martial Arts and Fitness in Victoria. She was once off for five months after a car crash in the sa国际传媒 capital.
In discussing her sport, Kaufman once said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the violence fans are drawn to 鈥� it鈥檚 an incredible athletic endeavour when two opponents go in there firing on all cylinders.鈥�
鈥� With files from Cleve Dheensaw, sa国际传媒
