Ronda Rousey has made a stunning admission about her new coach, revealing she used to "hate his guts" before he became the man tasked with guiding her long-awaited return to mixed martial arts. The former UFC champion, now 39, is preparing for her first MMA bout in a decade, set to headline an event organised by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions on 16 May.
An Unexpected Alliance Forms
Rousey will face fellow trailblazer Gina Carano, 43, who hasn't fought since 2009, in what promises to be one of the most anticipated combat sports events of the year. The fight will stream live on Netflix, marking another significant move in the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting. But perhaps more surprising than the matchup itself is Rousey's choice of training partner.
From Mortal Enemies to Trusted Mentor
Ricky Lundell, who trained Rousey's former rival Miesha Tate for her second clash with "Rowdy," will now be in Rousey's corner. The relationship between fighter and coach has undergone a remarkable transformation. "We were mortal enemies, started off as mortal enemies," Rousey confessed on her YouTube channel, recalling their initial encounters during The Ultimate Fighter series.
Lundell's extreme politeness initially rubbed Rousey the wrong way. "He was so nice; I was like, 'This motherf***** is so patronising and fake,' and I hated his guts," she revealed. "This is a common theme, by the way, that he's so nice that everyone was like: 'This motherf***** is not for real. He's really just being a passive-aggressive asshole.' But he's actually the nicest motherf*****, actually the nicest person you will ever meet – so nice that you don't think it's real."
A Gradual Thawing of Relations
The turning point came through Rousey's future husband, Travis Browne, whom Lundell coached. Despite Browne's encouragement to give Lundell a chance, Rousey remained resistant. "I was still like, 'F*** that guy,'" she admitted. "He tried to hurt me, he tried to help somebody hurt me, and you're dead to me."
But during a period of personal struggle, Rousey found herself staying at Lundell's house. "I fall into a deep depression, and Trav goes and stays at Ricky's house," she explained. "We're at your house and I'm basically just in the one room, the same room I stay in now, just smoking weed and playing World Of Warcraft all day, and I would only emerge to eat cereal. But you were really nice and kept me supplied. There was cereal and milk at all times."
Complete Transformation of Relationship
This simple act of kindness began to change Rousey's perspective. "I went from hating his guts to him changing my life for the better, and I'll be eternally grateful," she said, with Lundell sitting beside her. "It's been the greatest experience ever. He is my first ever black belt in judo. He started out as my student and now I'm his student."
Returning to the Cage After Hiatus
Rousey's last UFC appearances ended in disappointment, with knockout losses to Holly Holm in 2015 and Amanda Nunes in 2016. The defeat to Holm cost Rousey her bantamweight championship, and she failed to reclaim the title against Nunes. Since then, she has spent several periods in professional wrestling while largely staying away from competitive MMA.
Her comeback against Carano represents not just a return to fighting, but a complete reconfiguration of her training team and approach. The partnership with Lundell, forged from initial animosity to deep respect, adds an intriguing layer to what was already a compelling narrative of two pioneering women's MMA figures returning to competition after extended absences.
