Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix competitor Alexandre Shabliy in an interview with said that the Russian Edward Vartanyan intellectually more developed fighter than the former Brazilian UFC champion Charles Oliveira .
On June 16, Vartanyan will face Artem Reznikov in the ACA Lightweight Grand Prix Final. Vartanian has won seven straight league wins. Oliveira, before losing to Russia’s Islam Makhachev in 2022, was a UFC champion and went unbeaten in 11 fights.
– How do you feel when they say the ACA lightweights could fight on equal footing with the UFC champions?
– It seems to me that Vartanyan could be better than Oliveira. For me, he is a much more intellectually developed fighter. He can fight while standing and standing up from stalls. It could have been more interesting.
For some reason people think if you’re in UFC then you’re definitely stronger than other fighters, if you’re in Bellator then you’re stronger than everyone but UFC. And it’s a matter of luck. Yes, I was not signed to the UFC, but I train with their fighters, I understand their level. Sometimes there are guys that few people know. They play in leagues that are not in the top 5 and show a very good level,” Shabliy told .
Oliveira defeated American Beneil Dariush by technical knockout at UFC 289. After the fight, the Brazilian said he wanted to fight again for the lightweight championship belt held by Makhachev.
Watch live broadcasts of MMA tournaments on and Match! Fighter”, as well as the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
