Word for word: What Ronda Rousey’s coach told her at UFC 193

As of today, UFC 193: Rousey vs. Holm is now available for re-watch for Fight Pass subscribers. One of the biggest talking points to come out of Holly Holm KOing Ronda Rousey in the main event was the corner work of Rousey’s coach, Edmond Tarverdyan. MMA analysts, including Joe Rogan, have been fairly critical of Tarverdyan’s performance in Melbourne, most notably when he praised Rousey for a “beautiful” 1st round which she otherwise clearly lost. In the post-fight aftermath, Tarverdyan said he didn’t believe Holm was getting the better of Rousey in the striking.

With the fight on Fight Pass, we can listen to the isolated audio of Tarverdyan’s in-fight instructions. Below is the full Tarverdyan transcript for rounds 1 and 2, as well as the break. There are also accompanying timestamp intervals and footnotes to contextualize specific moments in the bout.

Round 1

:01-:57: “Press right, feint! Press fight, feint! Step to the right after touches. Step, step, step, step, step. Now you’re taking her where you want her. Yeah, press again, quick press. Light touch. Feint, go! Feint, go! No problem*, hands up, hands up! Press go, press go, champ. Beautiful. Step ahead, press again. Feints, feints, be patient, smart! Yes! That’s a touch! Feint, go again! Yes, go press, left hook, where’s that big one? Touch … just touch, feint, touch, touch. Yeah, you’re inside. No problem*, chin down! Hands up! Nice hook!”

* –  He said this both times after Rousey was hit with lefts from Holm.

:58-2:00: “Show the right hand to the body, go upstairs! Yes! That’s it. Hands up, champ! Press, press, press! Now it’s yours! Yes! Yes! Hands up! Hands up! Feint, quick feet, champ! Nice! Control! Nice!* Hands up, champ! Hands up! Feint! Feint, hands up! Feint, feint, feint. She’ll fall into you. Feint, keep pressing! Touch, press her! Touch, press her! Feint, feint, feint! Yeah, very good. Yes!** That’s it, feint, feint, feint! Nice, hands up, hands up when you’re pressing! Feint, now she’s falling. Press, press, keep pressing. She’ll slow down.”

* – Rousey briefly has Holm controlled against the cage and lands a knee to the body.

**- Rousey partially lands a left hook.

2:01-2:13: “Watch the set-ups on kicks, keep that right hand up where it’s supposed to be. Hands up, champ! Press, feint, feint, go.”

2:14-2:30: (Another cornerman talks Rousey through getting the armbar after she takes Holm down)

“Armbar! Armbar’s open, be patient! Be patient! Be patient, it’ll be there! It’ll be there!”

(Tarverdyan resumes speaking after the failed armbar attempt)

2:31-3:00: “Hands up! Nice. Hands up! Champ, champ, champ! Discipline, baby, discipline! Feint, go! Feint, go! Discipline, feint, go! Watch the head kicks, champ! Champ, right hand up baby, let’s go! Nice, work off it! Feint, go! Beautiful. Press, press, press! Feint, champ, feint! Double up the jab, feint, head movement! No problem*.”

* – Rousey is hit with a Jon Jones-esque kick to the knee

3:01-4:00: “Hands up, champ! She’s going to throw a kick upstairs!* Hands up! Go, work off it.** Press, press, press, good presses! Step ahead, champ! Legs under you, girl! Let’s go! Yeah, what a right hand! Hands up! You’re hurting her by touching her! Press! Touch, touch, touch, combination, work the jab! Hands up, champ! Feint, go! Hands up, don’t lean in! Feint, go! Boxing skills, let’s go! Right hook to the body. Feint, go! Yeah! Legs under you, champ! Don’t gnash (?) the shot! Don’t gnash (?) the shot. Don’t gnash (?) the shot, step around, yes!”

*- No kick is ever thrown

** – Holm misses a jab but Rousey never counters

4:01-4:10: “Oh! You hurt her with a left hook!* There you go! Stay on her! Hey! Discipline, hands up! Hands up, discipline, go! Right hand, left hook! YES!**”

* – Holm loses her mouthpiece and there’s a break in the action

** – Rousey throws a right hand and a left hook. The left hook lands and Holm ties up and takes her down.

(silence as Rousey is briefly taken down)

4:11-5:00: “Hands up, discipline! Hands up! Press, press, press! Hands up! Feint, good legs! Feint, good legs! Let’s go, yes! Throw!*”

* – Rousey doesn’t toss Holm to the mat, the clinch is broken and the round ends.

During the break

“Beautiful! Stay nice and patient [and] relax. Breathe, okay? Let’s rinse that mouth, don’t swallow it, rinse it. Champ, beautiful work. Listen to me, all she wants to do is catch you with that left hand and come on top with that hook, okay? We’re feinting, we’re keeping both hands up. We’re feinting — a lot of feints when we’re pressing. We’re stepping ahead. A little bit quicker on the step-ahead. She gets frustrated, okay? Your left hook is massive there. It’s there — right hand, left hook, right hand! And then what you gotta do after you let your hands go, back to defense! Press, feint, press, press!* So we can get her where we want her. Once we get her on the cage … we need her on the cage this round and then we’re going to be good, okay? Beautiful. More discipline, more discipline, please let’s go you’re the champ! Discipline!”

* – “Okay,” Rousey replied.

Round 2

0:01-0:31: “Watch the kicks from distance. Hands up, watch that left hand! Watch that right hook now on top. Go, go, press, legs! Hands up! Smart about it. Yes, back to the legs, beautiful! Beautiful, touch!”

0:32-0:59: “Left hook, right hand!* Hands up! Beautiful! Now you’re working, hands up!” (Rousey is knocked out 17 seconds later)

* – Rousey whiffs badly.

In an interview with ESPN The Magazine, Rousey said she is staying with Tarverdyan at Glendale Fighting Club. Dana White says that Holm vs. Rousey 2 will happen some time in 2016, so unless Rousey has a change of heart, it will still be Tarverdyan coaching her in the rematch.