<! mediaid=3452758 AP: img hspace="4" border="1" align="right" vspace="4" src="" alt="Marloes Coenen battles Sarah Kaufman at Strikeforce: DIaz vs. Noons 2." />Marloes Coenen is the new Strikeforce women's welterweight champion, after submitting the previously undefeated Sarah Kaufman on Saturday night.
Coenen put on a good show throughout, doing well in the stand-up game in the early going and then finishing the fight with one of her trademark submissions from her back. Coenen was already prepared to promote her next fight afterward, saying to Strikeforce's No. 1 contender, Miesha Tate, "Let's get it on."
The first round was fought entirely standing up, and for much of it both fighters looked tentative. Coenen landed a few more power shots than Kaufman and also tended to control when they clinched, although Coenen didn't do much damage and Kaufman didn't appear to be in any trouble at any point. The fans started booing with about a minute left in the first round, as they were doing more clinching than punching.
The booing continued at the start of the second round when they went right back to clinching against the fence.The most significant strike of the round was a hard kick to Kaufman's body from Coenen, but the real action didn't get started until the last 30 seconds or so, when the fighters finally went to the ground and Coenen attempted a couple of arm bars from her back, while Kaufman landed some punches from the top.
Early in the third round they went to the ground with Coenen on her back again, and Coenen showed that she's one of the best female fighters in the world at fighting off her back: As Kaufman battered her with ground and pound, Coenen waited for her opportunity and sunk in an arm bar, forcing Kaufman to tap out. It appeared that Coenen didn't realize Kaufman was tapping and held onto the arm bar longer than she needed to, but the two exchanged a hug in the cage afterward and didn't appear to have any hard feelings.
"I would like to apologize to Sarah," Coenen said afterward. "I really didn't know."
Coenen, whose record improved to 18-4, had nothing to apologize for, as she held the submission until the referee broke it up. She conducted herself like a champion should.
Coenen put on a good show throughout, doing well in the stand-up game in the early going and then finishing the fight with one of her trademark submissions from her back. Coenen was already prepared to promote her next fight afterward, saying to Strikeforce's No. 1 contender, Miesha Tate, "Let's get it on."
More Coverage: Diaz vs. Noons 2 Results | Strikeforce News
The first round was fought entirely standing up, and for much of it both fighters looked tentative. Coenen landed a few more power shots than Kaufman and also tended to control when they clinched, although Coenen didn't do much damage and Kaufman didn't appear to be in any trouble at any point. The fans started booing with about a minute left in the first round, as they were doing more clinching than punching.
The booing continued at the start of the second round when they went right back to clinching against the fence.The most significant strike of the round was a hard kick to Kaufman's body from Coenen, but the real action didn't get started until the last 30 seconds or so, when the fighters finally went to the ground and Coenen attempted a couple of arm bars from her back, while Kaufman landed some punches from the top.
Early in the third round they went to the ground with Coenen on her back again, and Coenen showed that she's one of the best female fighters in the world at fighting off her back: As Kaufman battered her with ground and pound, Coenen waited for her opportunity and sunk in an arm bar, forcing Kaufman to tap out. It appeared that Coenen didn't realize Kaufman was tapping and held onto the arm bar longer than she needed to, but the two exchanged a hug in the cage afterward and didn't appear to have any hard feelings.
"I would like to apologize to Sarah," Coenen said afterward. "I really didn't know."
Coenen, whose record improved to 18-4, had nothing to apologize for, as she held the submission until the referee broke it up. She conducted herself like a champion should.