Eduard Vartanyan was reportedly attacked in the backstage area before his fight at ACA 202 in St. Petersburg, struck in the back of the head by friends of Zaur Gadzhiev. The incident raises questions about ACA's security protocols, as the promotion typically maintains strict control over media access to locker rooms and backstage areas. Journalists covering ACA for years are often restricted from these areas, yet a fighter not on the card was able to be present with friends and allegedly initiate an altercation. The post notes that while access policies have improved recently, they remain imperfect, and suggests fighters not competing should be restricted from backstage rather than long-time media members.
