Eduard Vartanyan attacked backstage before ACA 202 bout by Zaur Gadzhiev's friends

Eduard Vartanyan was attacked in the backstage area before his fight with Uzair at ACA 202 in St. Petersburg, being struck in the back of the head by friends of Zaur Gadzhiev. The incident highlights ongoing issues with access control at ACA events, where media members are often restricted from backstage and locker room areas while fighters not competing on the card and their entourages have more freedom. The author notes that ACA has historically been very strict with media access, not allowing journalists into backstage areas even for those who have covered the organization for years. While the situation has improved recently, it remains imperfect, with this incident demonstrating the need for better security protocols regarding who is allowed in restricted areas.