Ronda Rousey Reunites with Former Rival Coach for MMA Comeback

Rousey and Ricky Lundell, once adversaries, now team up for her fight against Gina Carano on Netflix.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 8:20pm

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Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has enlisted the help of Ricky Lundell, her former rival coach from 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality show, to lead her return to MMA competition. Rousey and Lundell, who once 'hated each other's guts', have since reconciled and formed a close bond, with Lundell now serving as Rousey's head coach for her upcoming fight against Gina Carano on Netflix.

Why it matters

Rousey's return to MMA after nearly a decade away is a highly anticipated event, and her pairing with Lundell, a coach she once despised, adds an intriguing backstory to her comeback. Their partnership also highlights the ability for former rivals to put aside differences and work together towards a common goal.

The details

Rousey and Lundell's relationship dates back to Season 18 of 'The Ultimate Fighter', where Lundell was the opposing coach to Rousey. Their rivalry continued when Lundell was in Miesha Tate's corner for her title rematch against Rousey at UFC 168 in 2013. However, a connection formed between Lundell and Rousey's husband, Travis Browne, which eventually led to Rousey and Lundell reconciling and beginning to train together. Rousey says she initially 'hated his guts' due to Lundell's perceived patronizing behavior, but over time, she felt he was 'planting the seed' for her to return to MMA.

  • Rousey and Lundell were opposing coaches on Season 18 of 'The Ultimate Fighter' in 2013.
  • Lundell was in Miesha Tate's corner for her title rematch against Rousey at UFC 168 in December 2013.
  • Rousey and Lundell began training together and reconciling their differences in the years following their rivalry.

The players

Ronda Rousey

A former longtime UFC women's bantamweight champion who is making her return to MMA competition after nearly a decade away.

Ricky Lundell

Rousey's new head coach, who was previously an opposing coach to Rousey on 'The Ultimate Fighter' and in Miesha Tate's corner against Rousey.

Gina Carano

Rousey's opponent in her upcoming MMA fight, which will take place on Netflix.

Travis Browne

Rousey's husband, a former UFC heavyweight, who helped bridge the gap between Rousey and Lundell.

Miesha Tate

A former UFC women's bantamweight champion who was coached by Lundell in her rematch against Rousey.

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What they’re saying

“We're basically here because f*cking Ricky. We were mortal enemies. Started off as mortal enemies. 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.”

— Ronda Rousey

“Watching this experience and watching it open up, it has been such a travesty to watch the fight community and see how the fight community has responded to Ronda. She competed so hard for all of the fans, took MMA to this next level, especially female MMA. Then as soon as a loss shows up, the entire community just turned in such a way that anybody would be like, 'Wow, I'm really hurt by this' and associate it with marital arts.”

— Ricky Lundell, Rousey's Head Coach

What’s next

Rousey and Carano are scheduled to fight on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight will be streamed exclusively on Netflix.

The takeaway

Ronda Rousey's reunion with former rival coach Ricky Lundell demonstrates the ability for past adversaries to put aside differences and work together towards a common goal. Their partnership adds an intriguing backstory to Rousey's highly anticipated MMA comeback and highlights the sport's capacity for reconciliation and growth.