“The game plan was pressing. We knew Holly Holm was going to keep the distance. So we had to feint and get inside and pressure the right way so we can get on the side of the cage. And we’ve talked about that and Holly Holm did a good job with moving today and stayed calm. I wouldn’t say in the striking game she was getting the best of Ronda, you know, but I have to watch it again. But we know this was not a striking match; we know that Ronda is smart enough to take the fight where she is best at and today she did. Holly stopped an attempt on an armbar and stopped some of the takedowns. She did a good job.”
-Ronda Rousey’s coach Edmond Tarverdyan talked to ESPN after UFC 193 and commented on what happened in the fight.
Penick’s Analysis: Rousey isn’t being helped by this type of coaching and cornering. She’s developed a relationship that may be hard to break from with Tarverdyan during her MMA career, and because it’s worked to this point she’s unlikely to be willing to do something else, but she needs better in her corner. A coach’s inability to actually recognize what’s going on with their fighter during a fight is doing them a disservice, and giving advice that’s simply wrong is bound to lead to further negative consequences in the cage. It’s quite clear that Holm was getting the best of Rousey in the striking game. She beat her on the feet. She tagged her over and over with left hand strikes in that first round, ducked away from most damage, and did more herself. Tarverdyan then told Rousey in the corner that she had a “beautiful” first round. How does that help her? This is blind ignorance to the facts of what went down, and it won’t help Rousey improve.
[Photo (c) Jason da Silva via USA Today Sports]
Rousey’s mom is right! This guy needs to go!