In 2008, a 17-year-old Edouard Vartanian arrived at the combat sambo section in Moscow after an unsuccessful conflict at the university. In 2023, he won the ASA League Grand Prix with the participation of eight lightweights, winning ahead of schedule in the semi-final and final (rivals: Yusuf Raisov and Artem Reznikov). According to the terms of the league, the winner of the “eight” received 15 million rubles and, with it, the status of one of the most powerful lightweights in the world.
Many ACA fighters join the UFC in search of further career development. It is generally very difficult to keep in Russia those who want to fight in the United States. Negotiations with Vartanyan have been continuing since June and the lack of the fighter’s signature on the new contract is becoming more and more obvious. Yesterday, the vice president of the league, Aslanbek Badaev, spoke about this to , and today the fighter himself confirmed it.
Vartanyan had long wanted to fight in the UFC, offered to fight Khamzat Chimaev (yes, this is a different weight category) and had no doubt that he would give a good fight to the champion of his weight, Islam Makhachev. The main downside to moving from the ACA to the UFC was finances. The base contract for a newcomer to the American League is $10,000 to enter the fight and the same amount to win. Deserving fighters in other UFC promotions may be paid more, but it is almost impossible for an athlete without a fan base in the United States, Australia, China or the United Arab Emirates to receive a purse of one hundred thousand dollars or more.
“In Russia, Eduard has enough offers for different types of martial arts, the amounts of which are comparable or higher than 15 million rubles,” explains Vartanyan’s coach Armen Gulyan, who heads the league “Our Company” . — At the same time, Eduard received more than 200 thousand dollars for winning the ASA Grand Prix. He spoke about it himself.
For the same reason, he and I did not consider moving to Bellator: financially, ACA satisfies all requests, and if we take other parameters, then [в UFC] there is a status, so, for example, Bellator doesn’t have one. Edik has nothing like that he says that somewhere he will fight, but somewhere he will not. He is interested in competitive fights and financial conditions. If we make him an offer of “Our Company”, even according to the rules of boxing, and he is an interesting opponent and in good conditions, he will be able to fight with us.
— Let’s clarify one nuance: the Bellator and UFC lightweight champions are students of the same coach and representatives of the same gym. Do you still think UFC champion Islam Makhachev is stronger than Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov?
— Makhachev is a more experienced and mature fighter. I think he is the undisputed leader, although Usman is developing and will definitely grow. Let me note that in Bellator we recruited Zhora Ayvazayan (14-1 in MMA) in the category up to 70.3 kg, who fought with Usman at the Russian Championship and won by decision, ”concludes Gulyan.
Right now, Vartanyan is giving up the biggest money in the market: farming in Kazakhstan, where he has virtually no means of communication.
— How many times will you earn less if your next victory is not in the ACA, but in the UFC?
— I calculated… ACA really offered me probably the largest amount on the market. I think that in principle, no one in Russia currently benefits from the conditions that were offered to me at the ASA.
– Can you imagine the amount that would make you leave the UFC?
— In pure theory, everything has its price. If, I don’t know, they had offered $100 million, maybe I would have stayed. But basically, on the other hand, there is a dream. What I have inside. To understand, the ASA League accepted absolutely all the conditions that I had set. Of course, it’s nice because I understand how valued I am in this game.
— Will the UFC offer you more than the basic 10+10 for a newcomer to the league?
— Yes, we already have agreements on more than the basic 10+10. It will also depend on the opponent with whom I will be engaged in the first fight.
— The founder of the ASA League, Mairbek Khasiev, is faithful to all transitions and speaks well of the missing fighters. Some are critical. What do you think he will say about you in six months?
– I don’t know. But the league supported me and wished me success.
— Was it important for you to fight in a promotion where opponents will be tested for doping?
— It doesn’t matter whether your opponents are doping or not. I am a person who knows how steroids or other drugs considered illegal work, but this does not play a key role.
– Can you imagine when you fight?
— At the end of October, I would like to fly to the United States. After a month there, I’ll be ready.
Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the sites 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.
