ICYMI: UFC champion Ronda Rousey to coach on ‘The Ultimate Fighter 18’

The big news and breaking of barriers continue for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

UFC President Dana White announced during Saturday’s UFC 158 event in Montreal that Rousey will coach “The Ultimate Fighter 18” against the winner of the Miesha Tate-Cat Zingano fight.

Not only will the UFC reality show have female coaches for the first time, but Season 18 will feature male and female 135-pound fighters.

“I’m going to announce tonight the coaches of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ for the next season,” White said during the pay-per-view broadcast. “It will be Ronda Rousey vs. the winner of Tate and Zingano, who are fighting in the ‘TUF’ finale on April 13. For the first time ever, two women coaches, and we will have 135-pound men and 135-pound women living and training in the house together.”

The Tate-Zingano contest, only the second women’s fight in UFC history, takes place on the main card (live on FX) of “The Ultimate Fighter 17” finale at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Rousey won the first women’s fight in the UFC by defending her 135-pound belt with a first-round armbar submission victory over Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 last month at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

Open tryouts for “TUF 18” are April 15 in Las Vegas.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Digg Reddit Stumbleupon Tumblr Email