Eduard Vartanyan allegedly attacked backstage before ACA 202 bout by Gadzhiev friends

Eduard Vartanyan was reportedly attacked in the backstage area before his fight with Uzair at ACA 202 in St. Petersburg, struck in the back of the head by friends of Zaur Gadzhiev. The incident highlights ongoing issues with backstage access at ACA events, where media are strictly limited while fighters not competing on the card can move freely with entourages. The reporter notes inconsistent enforcement, where credentialed media covering ACA for years face restrictions while others have access. Despite the alleged pre-fight attack, Vartanyan proceeded with his scheduled bout. The post notes ACA's access policies have improved recently but remain imperfect.