UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey recently enlisted a familiar face for her corner ahead of her fight against Gina Carano on May 16. However, it's a coach she once despised. Ricky Lundell, who worked with Miesha Tate during The Ultimate Fighter, is now training Rousey for her comeback bout.
Lundell served as one of Tate's coaches on the reality show when she faced Rousey in one of MMA's most heated rivalries. Rousey couldn't stand him despite his kindness toward her.
We were mortal enemies," Rousey said on her YouTube channel. "He was coaching against me on The Ultimate Fighter and he was so nice, I was like this motherf*cker is so patronizing and fake and I hated his guts.
Rousey admitted Lundell's genuine kindness seemed impossible to believe.
This is a common theme, by the way, that he's so nice that everyone was like 'this motherf*cker is not for real.' He's really just being a passive-aggressive assh*le, but he's actually the nicest motherf*cker.
Even after defeating Tate for a second time, 'Rowdy' maintained her grudge. She later found herself around Lundell again when he coached her future husband, Travis Browne, who trained at the same Glendale gym.
I was still like f*ck that guy. He tried to hurt me. He tried to help somebody hurt me, and you're dead to me.
Depression and Reconciliation
The relationship shifted when Rousey dealt with mental health struggles, likely following her knockout losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. She stayed at Lundell's house while Browne trained with him.
I fall into a deep depression and Trav goes and stays at Ricky's house. I'm basically just in the one room, 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.
Lundell's kindness during that difficult period changed Rousey's perspective. She eventually agreed to train him in judo when he expressed interest in earning his black belt.
