“If I were Vartanyan, I would do the same thing, choosing a dream over a race for money” – fighter ASA Matmuratov

Russian MMA fighter Alexander Matmuratov in a conversation with , he said he supports the desire Edouard Vartanian attempt to sign a contract with the UFC, despite a very advantageous financial offer from the ACA.

In June, Vartanyan defeated Kazakhstan’s Artem Reznikov in the final of the ACA Lightweight Grand Prix in the final fight under his league contract. Vartanyan has been performing at ASA (formerly DIA) since spring 2015. In total, the 32-year-old fighter has 25 victories and four defeats. ASA Vice President Aslanbek Badaev said Vartanyan turned down the league’s offer, which would have made him the highest-paid fighter in the organization. On Wednesday, Vartanyan told that he would go to the final stage of negotiations with the UFC at the end of October.

— I took it normally (refusing to extend the contract with ASA). Edik was currently the best lightweight in the ASA. He lived through all the high-profile battles. Well, a man has a dream. It’s no secret that the UFC is the best league in the world. As I understand it, Edik is financially stable, he is not chasing the high fees that were offered to him at ASA. In this regard, I fully support him in his efforts to realize his dream. He said it was either money or a dream that was at stake. And he chose a dream. If I were him, I would do the same thing, so as not to bite my elbows later because I didn’t try, but chased the money. In this regard, he does everything right. How he will be signed by the UFC depends on his managers and the league’s leadership. But you have to try anyway, and at ASA it seems to me that he will always be received with open arms, ”Matmuratov told .

Matmuratov (15-5) will meet his compatriot Yusuf Raisov (20-3) on November 3 in St. Petersburg during the ACA 165 tournament. All ACA tournaments are broadcast live on the channel.