For years, Edmond Tarverdyan has remained largely silent about the intense criticism surrounding his role as Ronda Rousey’s striking coach during her meteoric rise and fall in the UFC.
In an interview on the Jaxxon Podcast, the Armenian-American coach finally broke his silence, offering his perspective on the controversy that has followed him since Rousey’s devastating knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes.
Tarverdyan revealed that he deliberately stepped away from the spotlight after Rousey’s career ended. “After Ronda’s career, you know, just stopped being in the spotlight, I guess. You know, not too many interviews,” he explained.
Despite the media blackout, Tarverdyan continued working with fighters, notably developing UFC contender Edmen Shahbazyan from the age of 10.
The coach addressed one of the most persistent criticisms – that he made Rousey “fall in love with her hands” at the expense of her dominant judo game.
Tarverdyan dismissed this notion as absurd, stating: “That’s stupid to say what fall in love. You know, for me, she wins, she makes the money, I get paid. Like, why would I want her to knock somebody out with her hands and not use her submissions? You have to be an idiot to do that.”
When Rousey first arrived at his Glendale gym, Tarverdyan admitted he was initially reluctant to train her. “I didn’t want to train her because I had all those good fighters in the gym, you know, good guys making money and what are you going to do with the female, you know, there’s no MMA for girls,” he recalled. It was only after learning about potential earnings in women’s MMA that he agreed to work with the Olympic bronze medalist.
Tarverdyan’s approach to Rousey’s striking was methodical and tailored to her judo background. Unlike other coaches who wanted her to switch to an orthodox stance, he encouraged her to maintain her natural southpaw position. “Keep your left foot forward. Don’t worry. Let’s box like that,” he told her. This decision proved crucial in her early success, as her powerful left jab became the setup for her devastating takedowns.
The coach also defended his predictions and strategies, providing detailed examples of how he accurately forecasted several of Rousey’s victories. He particularly highlighted a moment in the Holly Holm fight that he believes has been overlooked: “Watch the 4-minute mark in the first round with Holly. Nobody talks about that. Joe Rogan. Nobody. They don’t even see that shot. It’s so fast. I say run the right hand, left hook. She boom boom. Holly’s like this. Comes and recovers.”
Addressing the broader criticism of his coaching methods, Tarverdyan emphasized his extensive background in combat sports. He fought professionally in Muay Thai and had two MMA fights himself, while also training world champion boxers like Victor Ortiz before working with Rousey. “When I was kicking and fighting, you didn’t know what kicking was,” he said, responding to critics who questioned his striking credentials.
The interview revealed a coach who remains proud of his work with Rousey during her dominant championship run. He credited her mental strength, athletic ability, and willingness to learn as key factors in her success. “She was always faster, stronger, quicker, more athletic. You know, she had that edge because Olympian, you know, higher, faster, stronger,” Tarverdyan explained.
