Eduard Vartanyan attacked backstage before ACA 202 fight by Gadjiev's associates

Eduard Vartanyan was reportedly assaulted in the backstage area before his fight at ACA 202 in St. Petersburg, struck in the back of the head by friends of Zaur Gadjiev. The incident raises questions about ACA's security protocols, as fighters not competing on the card were allowed backstage access while media members have historically been strictly restricted from those areas. The post notes that ACA has traditionally been very strict about media access to locker rooms and backstage areas, requiring press to stay in media rooms or designated press seating. A fighter not on the card and his associates were able to access the backstage area and initiate an altercation. The author notes that while media access policies have recently improved, the incident highlights inconsistencies in security enforcement.