Eduard Vartanyan was reportedly attacked in the backstage area before his fight at ACA 202 in Saint Petersburg, struck in the back of the head by friends of Zaur Gadzhiev. The incident raises questions about ACA's security protocols and access control in backstage areas. The report notes that while media access to locker rooms and backstage has historically been restricted, fighters not competing on the card have been allowed access with their entourages. The journalist reporting the story mentions past difficulties with ACA's media access policies. Despite the alleged pre-fight incident, Vartanyan went on to compete as scheduled.
