MMA fighter, Sarah Kaufman (10-0), recently had an interview with Rick Rockwell, a writer for Examiner.com. The 5’5″ 141 pounder had some pretty interesting thing to say about her entry into the world of MMA. On February 26th she will put her undefeated record on the line and fight for the Strikeforce Women’s Welterweight (135 pound) Championship against Takayo Hashi. Sarah predicts the fight stopping in the 5th round with another win and the title.
How did you go from Ballet to MMA?
They opened up a place right below my dance studio. So, I tried it out to see if I liked it. I fell in love with it and everything that was associated with it. One class wasn’t enough. Then two classes weren’t enough. And finally I wanted to do it all the time.
How long were you a dancer?
I’ve done ballet for 17 years. I’ve also done Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Tap. I joined a dance company when I was 8.
Is there anything that you took from your Ballet training into your MMA training?
I don’t know how transferable it was. With dance, there was a lot of dedication, preparation, and a commitment to constantly improve. There was also a lot of balance and strength work. So, that’s what I probably took from ballet into MMA.
Did the rigors of dancing help you build up a tolerance for pain and fatigue?
The exhaustion from dancing all the time taught me how to perform through being hurt and tired. You don’t want to let the crowd know that you are hurt or tired. And when you are in MMA you don’t want to show your opponent anything
Christopher Meatto