Now that UFC 207 has come and gone, it's time to speculate on what went with Ronda Rousey in her loss to Amanda Nunes via TKO just 48 seconds into the first round. Recently, audio from Rousey's corner has surfaced, and reveals how her trainer Edmond Tarverdyan wanted the former Women's Bantamweight champion to approach Nunes.
Before the opening bell, Tarverdyan implored Rousey to "make her miss" while her second cornerman stressed that she pick her moments. After Nunes landed one head shot after another, Tarverdyan repeatedly shouted, "hands up" and "head movement," but she was unable to heed his advice. When things started looking real bleak for Rousey, her trainer begged, "Move, please!"
Once the fight was called, Tarverdyan screamed out, "Nooo," multiple times. As you can hear, her trainer's instructions revolved around movement, keeping her hands up, and clinching. During the post-fight presser, Nunes criticized Tarverdyan for making Rousey believe that she's a boxer, instead of playing to her strengths. “She thinks she is a boxer,” Nunes said. “He [Tarverdyan] put this thing in her head, and make the girl believe in that. I don’t know why he did that. She had great judo. She could’ve gone more forward in this division, but he put that crazy thing about boxing in there, and her career started going down.”
If Rousey plans on getting back into the Octagon, she needs to let go of this idea that she can stand toe-to-toe and exchange punches with her opponent. Given that nine of her 12 victories came by submission via armbar, it's time for Ronda to get back to basics. That is, if she even wants to try and come back again.
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