Ronda Rousey's Coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, Comments on UFC Star's Return, More
UFC star Ronda Rousey is unlikely to return to action in time for UFC 200 in July, according to her long-term coach, Edmond Tarverdyan.
Holly Holm knocked out the former bantamweight champion in emphatic style in one of the biggest shocks in the sport’s history at UFC 193. There has since been speculation that Rousey could return for a rematch with her conquerer at the summer showpiece, but Tarverdyan has revealed it’ll probably come too soon.
“I don't see it in July at this point,” he said of a possible rematch to ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne.
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The coach also revealed it’s crucial Rousey takes some time off after so many fights in such a short space of time:
"If you watch her career, she was fighting back-to-back. Even her amateur fights, she took a lot of fights back-to-back. Of course, she got [quick] finishes, but it's not only about the ring time, it's about the training. She's trained very hard to give it 100 percent every day, so you know, that's hard for the body. Ronda has been through a lot. She's had knee surgeries ... and we don't want to end up with the same thing, having another knee surgery, so we need to relax a little bit, take our time and get her in better shape slowly and mentally and physically.
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Some time away from the spotlight is likely to do Rousey a lot of good. While she has long been revered in MMA circles, in 2015, her wins over Cat Zingano and Bethe Correia in double-quick time propelled her from a UFC star to a global icon.
Here are some of the highlights of what was a truly eventful year for the 28-year-old:
What accompanied that ascension was more media coverage, more promotional events and more pressure to perform. And in Melbourne, Australia, for UFC 193, it seemed as though everything caught up with Rousey, who clearly didn’t approach the fight with a clear mindset, allowing Holm to dictate the course of the contest.
If Rousey was to win a rematch, she’ll need to make some major improvements in her defensive work, as the former boxer tagged her with ease at UFC 193. It’s an area Tarverdyan conceded they will be seeking advice on ahead of her next fight.
"Yeah there was a lot of criticism afterwards about adding a boxing coach," Tarverdyan said, per Shelburne. "MMA is not a boxing game, but Ronda got caught, and we will be taking advice from boxing trainers. I don't think it's going to be a situation about adding a boxing coach, it's about getting more thoughts from boxing trainers."
The new champion is set to face Miesha Tate in her first defence at UFC 196. Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting doesn’t think it’s a bout that possesses the same spark as a potential Rousey-Holm rematch:
Some time away from the sport to refresh and recuperate seems the best course of action for Rousey at the moment, though, especially if we want to see her back at full tilt in the future. At elite-level UFC, losses are bound to happen, and although she’s been maligned for the manner in which she lost to Holm, the former champion still has the chance to leave an outstanding legacy.
Admittedly, a triumph at UFC 200, which is set to be the most prestigious event in the company’s history, would have looked superb on her resume. But rushing back prematurely and suffering another loss would have been something even a fighter of Rousey’s considerable talent may have struggled to overcome.
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