Third-ranked women’s bantamweight Alexis Davis had previously lost to fifth-ranked Sarah Kaufman twice before their UFC 186 trilogy on Saturday.
Davis lost to Kaufman in her professional MMA debut in 2007. Their paths crossed again five years later in 2012 in the Strikeforce promotion where Kaufman squeaked out a majority decision.
Kaufman looked well on her way to a third win over Davis after the opening round in Montreal on Saturday. She dictated the pace and landed her right hand consistently. She delivered crisp combinations and landed with counter strikes.
Davis took her corner’s advice between rounds and made adjustments in the second frame.