Eduard Vartanyan (born June 11, 1991) is a Russian mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division of the Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA). In July 2023, after he won the grand prix of Lightweight division of ACA, he reached #14 in World Lightweight rankings according to Fight Matrix and #10 in pound-for-pound ranking of Russia.[1][2]
Eduard Vartanyan was born on June 11, 1991 in Yerevan to an Armenian father and a Russian mother. At an early age, Eduard moved to Moscow with his family. After graduating from college with honors, Eduard served in the Russian air defense forces. He holds a degree in information security engineering.[3][4]
Eduard is the host of the popular podcast about mixed martial arts called "Fight Show".
Eduard began playing the sport in his second year of college at age 17, enrolling in a combat sambo class. Soon, in 2008, he won the Moscow championship. Also, Eduard was engaged in Thai boxing, winning the Moscow and the Russian championships in 2009.
Eduard had his first professional fight in mixed martial arts at the Vale Tudo 2 tournament, being submitted by Alim Kokov in the first round. He would take a year break, before returning at the VMAU - Headhunting tournament defeating Tarverdi Tarverdiev in the 1st round. In the second bout of the evening, he would face Alexander Mikhailov, defeating the opponent with an armbar. Eduard had his fourth fight with Sergey Khandozhko at the Legend 1 fight show, defeating him by technical knockout. Then he wins by TKO of the Brazilian Andre de Jesus in Rio de Janeiro in the first round at IMMAF 2013. At the Legend 2 tournament, he defeated the Frenchman Florent Betorangal. Eduard entered the Coliseum FC Welterweight tournament, facing Benjamin Brinza in the Quarter-finals, defeating him via unanimous decision. After defeating Vikto Tchernetsky via armbar, he would return to Coliseum Welterweight tournament to defeat Sergey Faley by majority decision.[4]
In 2014, he won the World Cup in combat sambo in the category up to 74kg, defeating Ali Bagov by technical knockout in the final, thereby becoming an international master of sports in combat sambo and the world champion. Eduard's next fight is with Artyom Spichak, winning him by knockout in the first round at the Sparta Legacy tournament, followed by a armbar submission in the first round of Anatoly Angelovsky.[3]
Absolute Championship Akhmat
On March 21, 2015, he made his debut in ACB (now ACA) and instantly becomes a member of the lightweight Grand Prix, defeating Dzhamal Magomedov by unanimous decision at the ACB 15. In the summer of the same year, he meet with Amirkhan Adaev at ACB 20 and defeats him by technical knockout. On October 12, he meets Ali Bagov again at ACB 22 and this time he suffers his second defeat in his professional career, getting submitted in the first round via rear-naked choke. Eduard fought his next fight on December 22, 2015 as part of ACB 27 against Magomedrasul Khasbulaev, defeating him by unanimous decision.[3]
With the win, Vartanyan got a chance for the ACB Lightweight Championship, facing off against the champion Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov at ACB 32 on March 26, 2016. He was finished via TKO stoppage in the first torund. Functionally, Vartanyan was not one hundred percent ready for the fight, therefore, as he himself admitted in an interview.[6]
Eduard quickly "played back" - in bouts against Brazilian Marcio Breno Rodriguez Braga at ACB 41 which he won via third round TKO and a close bout against Alexander Shabliy at ACB 49, which he managed to win via split decision.[7] On April 15, 2017, at ACB 57, he defeated Alexander Sarnavskiy in the second round, choking him unconscious via rear-naked choke.[citation needed]
In a duel with Andrey Koshkin, which took place on September 30, 2017 at the ACB 71 tournament in Moscow, he won by unanimous decision, becoming the first interim ACB Lightweight Championship in the history of the promotion and a contender for the championship belt.[8]
A second chance against Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov fell to Vartanyan at ACB 77. In a controversial decision, Abdulvakhabov won the rematch via split decision, retaining the title.[9] Disputes about the final result continued for a long time.[10]
The next year was successful in Eduard's career - in November at the ACB 90 Moscow tournament he defeated Ustarmagomed Gajidaudov.[11] On April 27, 2019 as part of ACA 95, defeated American Joshua Avelez by unanimous decision
Eduard Vartanyan fought his last contractual fight in the ACA promotion on September 5, 2020, defeating Mukhamed Kokov by unanimous decision at the ACA 110 tournament in the co-main fight of the evening in Moscow.[12] However, the result of the fight caused a scandal, and the founder of the ACA league , Mairbek Khasiev, announced his intention to declare the fight invalid, disagreeing with the decision of the judges. On September 8, a specially convened ACA Athletic Commission recognized the fight as valid and upheld the decision of the judges.[13]
Open Fighting Championship
After his career with the ACA, Vartanyan planned to continue his career in Western promotions, but due to coronavirus restrictions and visa problems, he had to continue his career in Russia, in the young Open FC promotion. His debut fight took place on May 28, 2021 in Moscow in the main fight of the Open Fighting Championship 4 tournament against the Brazilian fighter Michel Silva. The fight lasted all 3 rounds, in each round Vartanyan methodically dominated his opponent and the unanimous victory was given to Vartanyan.[14][15]
He would then face Raimundo Batista on September 21, 2021 at Open Fighting Championship 10, dominating his opponent and winning after his opponent's corner stopped the fight after the first round.[16]
2023 ACA Lightweight Grand Prix
Vartanyan returned to ACA, entering the 2022 ACA Lightweight Grand Prix with his first opponent supposed to be Luis Peña on May 21, 2022 at ACA 139. However, Peña could not make it into Russia and was replaced by Alain Ilunga.[17] He submitted his opponent in the third round via guillotine choke, advancing to the next round.[18]
In the semi-finals on November 4, 2022 at ACA 147, Vartanyan faced Yusuf Raisov defeating him in dominant fashion, with the doctor stopping the bout after the second round due to the damage inflicted on Raisov.[19]
The Grand Prix concluded on June 16, 2023 at ACA 159 against Artem Reznikov. Vartanyan was able to nullify the wrestling of Reznikov, punishing him on the feet concluding in a TKO stoppage in the third round and winning the Grand Prix and the cash prize.[20]
In the fall of 2023, he turned down the biggest contract in the history of Russian mixed martial arts for the dream of fighting in the UFC.[21]
On August 23, 2024, after a year layoff trying to sign with the UFC, Vartanyan faced Aleksandr Grozin at Nashe Delo: Vartanyan vs. Grozin, winning the bout via unanimous decision.[22]
Alexander Sarnavskiy is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Sarnavskiy has mostly competed in his native Russia, where he is an M-1 Global veteran and former lightweight division in the Bellator Fighting Championships.
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Magomedrasul Magomedalievich Khasbulaev is a Russian former mixed martial artist who fought in the Featherweight division. In a career spanning 12 years, Khasbulaev fought in Bellator MMA, where he won the Bellator Season Eight Featherweight Tournament Championship, and in ACA, where he was the former ACA Featherweight Champion. Khasbulaev is a Combat Sambo Russia National Champion.
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↑ "Результаты ACB 32". AllBoxing.ru - все новости бокса, ММА (MMA), UFC (ЮФС), Bellator, ACA, бои без правил. Видео и фото, прямые трансляции (in Russian). 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
↑ "Результаты ACB 49". AllBoxing.ru - все новости бокса, ММА (MMA), UFC (ЮФС), Bellator, ACA, бои без правил. Видео и фото, прямые трансляции (in Russian). 2016-11-27. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
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