Issue 136
December 2015
Though he was reluctant at first, coach Edmond Tarverdyan has become synonymous with the most important and influential fighter of this generation
Edmond Tarverdyan
Glendale Fighting club head coach
When Edmond Tarverdyan opened the doors to his first gym aged 16 he never imaged he would one day coach an athlete who had the power to change the face of combat sports. He dreamt of finding the next Mike Tyson or Ramon Dekkers, of course. But for a decade he was, it now appears, focused on the wrong gender.
Today the Armenian, who’s been training and competing in various martial arts since the age of seven, is mixed martial arts’ brightest star’s right hand man. Ronda Rousey has transcended the sport to become the UFC’s poster girl, and it’s Tarverdyan who is getting the credit for transitioning the Olympic medal winning judoka into a MMA phenomenon.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have (imagined it) at all. When I opened my gym at 16 I would never think someone that walked through the door would go on to do what she has done. She is the best athlete in the world, the best fighter in the world. It’s just amazing,” he says.
Today the entire world now knows all about Rousey and her awards, magazine covers, action movie roles, UFC bantamweight championship belt and the title of ‘world’s most dominant athlete.’ But just six years ago Tarverdyan wasn’t as convinced about her as he is today.
Despite pleading with him for coaching, ‘Rowdy’ was left to hit the heavy bag alone at the Armenian’s Glendale Fighting Club in California for almost four months before her first amateur fight.
But after observing her dedication to improving her craft, Tarverdyan was impressed. He was eventually cajoled into cornering her on the day of that bout, and the rest is history. Both Rousey’s MMA skills and the gym have gone from strength to strength since, and it’s all because of continued dedication to hard work.
Tarverdyan says: “When I became a trainer, I was young, only 16 years old. Going through all those hard days just keeping the doors open, and then having a special champion like Ronda who has brought so much attention to the gym and to my career, it’s been amazing. Every day I have been proud of her.
“She is an amazing athlete. She works so hard. She is so dedicated. She does everything perfectly. Her work ethic is beyond unbelievable. She is the best in the world and as a trainer that is what you ask for. She has never done anything half-assed.
“I have never seen Ronda in the gym do one round of sparring half-assed. I have never seen her take a round off. She is the most dominant fighter in the world, no doubt.
“The most proud I have been was after the Sara McMann fight,” he adds.” Sara is a silver medalist in wrestling but Ronda knocked her out. “It was the first time she ever got a knockout and it was with a liver shot, which is amazing, going to the body and dropping somebody like that. We were in the Octagon after the fight and she said, ‘Coach, I hope you are proud of me.’ I said, ‘Of course I am proud of you!’”
Tarverdyan believes his background in striking arts blends perfectly with Rousey’s immense judo base. He’s added so much to her arsenal in the standup that she can now finish any opponent whether the fight stays on the feet or hits the mat.
He adds: “Judo is the gentle way. It’s a lot of tactics, balance and power. If you do the sweep at the right time, heavyweight or not, you are going to fall flat on your ass. Definitely, she will submit anybody! I am talking about myself, too.
“Opponents try to stand with her, but I spar with her and I wouldn’t even block her shots with those small gloves. She would drop anybody in the world with the weight of her striking. As for her judo and grappling skills? Well, we don’t even need to talk about that.”
The belief that made a 16-year-old Tarverdyan become a trainer and open the gym that would become Glendale Fighting Club, is the same belief that Ronda Rousey could make it in MMA and become all she has. It’s also the same belief that looks set to continue to carry them to previously unimaginable heights in combat sports and beyond.
Role reversal
From corner to the canvas
Unlike many top coaches, Tarverdyan has actually strapped on the 4oz gloves and competed as a MMA professional. He had a short-lived, but undefeated career in 2012 for Lights Out Promotions. He used his striking skills to win his first fight via KO (knee) and his second on points. During these contests his and Rousey’s roles were reversed, as she filled corrner duties..
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