News Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov vs. Ali Abdulkhalikov and Yusuf Raisov vs. Artem Reznikov II set for ACA 182 on December 13

[STAY GOLD]

 

[Ara tech]

I wanted to see Raisov compete for an international belt, like the UFC or Bellator, though still a good fight.

ACA got bigger especially the last two years, they pay well their fighters. At least it's not a trap for inactivity like OneFC.
Though, because they pay well their fighters, they won't be likely to leave.

Vartyan turned the biggest russian MMA contract in an attempt to go the UFC, to turn back a 10k/10k dollars, I'm sure now he regrets it, if he didn't leave ACA, he would be the one fighting Raisov right now.

ACA is the toughest organization in the world in term of level and competition, outside of the UFC. I predict that in the next ten years, the level of ACA will equal the level of the UFC, like the russian wresting national equal the olympics.

Russia is after all the n°1 factory of prospects, especially including Dagestan and Chechenya.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

It'll never equal the level of the UFC but roster depth wise it's very good.

 

[Ara tech]

What America and Brazil did in 50 years of MMA and valetudo, Russia manage to do it in 15 years because the USSR always was rich in combat sport (Judo, Boxing, Sambo, Combat Sambo, Freestyle and Greco wrestling).

More than the half of undefeated fighters and prospects are russian, or from formers sovietic republic.
ACA is the third most competitive roster in the world, in 2024.

First would be of course the UFC, second the merging Bellator/PFL.
But that could change, in the next 10 years, simply because the UFC failed to sign half of the best fighters prospects, because they wants the cheapest, not the best.

For example, Islam Omarov and Magomedrasul Gasanov are among top P4P fighers outside of the UFC.
And if you dig deeply, the welterweight Bellator/PFL is equally if not more competitive than the welterweight UFC division.

ACA just needs time to develop, even if it fail to expand to foreign countries, Russia alone, is capable of producing far enough talents to build depth in their rosters. Because the russian upcoming generation has invested a lot in MMA, and the results will be seen as the opposite of their efforts.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

What America and Brazil did in 50 years of MMA and valetudo, Russia manage to do it in 15 years because the USSR always was rich in combat sport (Judo, Boxing, Sambo, Combat Sambo, Freestyle and Greco wrestling).

More than the half of undefeated fighters and prospects are russian, or from formers sovietic republic.
ACA is the third most competitive roster in the world, in 2024.

First would be of course the UFC, second the merging Bellator/PFL.
But that could change, in the next 10 years, simply because the UFC failed to sign half of the best fighters prospects, because they wants the cheapest, not the best.

For example, Islam Omarov and Magomedrasul Gasanov are among top P4P fighers outside of the UFC.
And if you dig deeply, the welterweight Bellator/PFL is equally if not more competitive than the welterweight UFC division.

ACA just needs time to develop, even if it fail to expand to foreign countries, Russia alone, is capable of producing far enough talents to build depth in their rosters. Because the russian upcoming generation has invested a lot in MMA, and the results will be seen as the opposite of their efforts.

I'm more of a fan of Russian MMA than most here but a Russian promotion won't be able to be #1 without being able to attract the best international fighters, which won't happen.

They will continue to have outstanding fighters like Omarov, Gasanov, Mehdi Baydulaev, Rustam Kerimov, Bibert and Albert Tumenov etc etc and probably continue to have around 20 of the top 100 of most divisions, but the UFC will continue to have the lion's share of the top 20 per division.

 

[STAY GOLD]

Vartyan turned the biggest russian MMA contract in an attempt to go the UFC, to turn back a 10k/10k dollars, I'm sure now he regrets it, if he didn't leave ACA, he would be the one fighting Raisov right now.

Vartanyan agreed to fight Raisov again at welterweight for this event, but not sure what happened.

 

[colorles]

It'll never equal the level of the UFC but roster depth wise it's very good.

Why not? The money is there. All they have to do is pay the fighters considerably better than UFC and I see no reason why a ton of international talent wouldn't chose to fight there (in addition of course to being able to retain their own home grown - Caucasian/Russian/central Asian - talent as well)

 

[Bubzeh]

Shaping up nicely.

Just hope they're paying Brad Pickett and Jamie Hay well for their services.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Why not? The money is there. All they have to do is pay the fighters considerably better than UFC and I see no reason why a ton of international talent wouldn't chose to fight there (in addition of course to being able to retain their own home grown - Caucasian/Russian/central Asian - talent as well)

They can't ever be a global promotion because of the Kadyrov connections. They pay fighters pretty well compared to a lot of promotions but the top fighters there still aren't paid anywhere near what the top guys in the UFC make. It's enough in some cases to make people stay rather than take a pay drop to get into the UFC though.

But consider that a number of fighters have left ACA to try and get into the UFC like Albert Tumenov, Eduard Vartanyan, Murad Magomedov, Evgenny Goncharov, Azamat Kerefov, Mukhamed Vakhaev, Rustam Kerimov, Yusuf Raisov over the last few years. Sure UFC didn't pick them up and they had to go back, but it kind of shows where the promotions stand even in the eyes of Russian fighters.

 

[colorles]

They can't ever be a global promotion because of the Kadyrov connections. They pay fighters pretty well compared to a lot of promotions but the top fighters there still aren't paid anywhere near what the top guys in the UFC make. It's enough in some cases to make people stay rather than take a pay drop to get into the UFC though.

But consider that a number of fighters have left ACA to try and get into the UFC like Albert Tumenov, Eduard Vartanyan, Murad Magomedov, Evgenny Goncharov, Azamat Kerefov, Mukhamed Vakhaev, Rustam Kerimov, Yusuf Raisov over the last few years. Sure UFC didn't pick them up and they had to go back, but it kind of shows where the promotions stand even in the eyes of Russian fighters.

Those are all good points; but, look at it this way: Kadyrov connections or not, let's say ACA offered substantially higher pay than they do now for "journeymen" fighters and "contenders" alike - enough so that it is double or triple or even five times more the pay that UFC offers. I don't see any reason why ACA couldn't afford that with their connections (not to mention they don't put on as many cards as UFC; it's really more of a quality of quantity thing for them anyways). At the very least that would mean they would retain all of their eastern European/Caucasian/central Asian fighters; and, given that a substantial percentage of their roster is already Brazilian, I don't see any reason that for substantially more pay the best Brazilian fighters in the world wouldn't fight there. Even assuming American fighters still shy away from the place - which would be less likely for that kind of money but given the sanctions and geopolitical situation, surely some still would - just having all of the best eastern European/Caucasian/central Asian fighters in the world, as well as the best Brazilian fighters in the worlds, would make ACA the worlds top promotion as far as talent.

It really is just a money thing. As of now it seems like ACA is content with staying in its lane but if they ever fealt like throwing some money around, they could really shake things up.

 

[Feniamin]

Vartanyan agreed to fight Raisov again at welterweight for this event, but not sure what happened.

In Russian media it was something like that - first info was that Eduard probably will not fight until 2025, then that Nashe Delo is working on Vartanyan-Piraev for event in December and day or two after that info was that ACA is working at Raisov-Vartanyan for December.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Those are all good points; but, look at it this way: Kadyrov connections or not, let's say ACA offered substantially higher pay than they do now for "journeymen" fighters and "contenders" alike - enough so that it is double or triple or even five times more the pay that UFC offers. I don't see any reason why ACA couldn't afford that with their connections (not to mention they don't put on as many cards as UFC; it's really more of a quality of quantity thing for them anyways). At the very least that would mean they would retain all of their eastern European/Caucasian/central Asian fighters; and, given that a substantial percentage of their roster is already Brazilian, I don't see any reason that for substantially more pay the best Brazilian fighters in the world wouldn't fight there. Even assuming American fighters still shy away from the place - which would be less likely for that kind of money but given the sanctions and geopolitical situation, surely some still would - just having all of the best eastern European/Caucasian/central Asian fighters in the world, as well as the best Brazilian fighters in the worlds, would make ACA the worlds top promotion as far as talent.

It really is just a money thing. As of now it seems like ACA is content with staying in its lane but if they ever fealt like throwing some money around, they could really shake things up.

They already operate at a loss dude. I've been an ACA watcher for years and I don't want them to get over ambitious and crash and burn.

 

[Ara tech]

It is said in the ACA official website, that " We conclude long-term exclusive contracts with them. We are not interested in single-time performances of even the most popular athletes. "Downed pilots" and "guests" are not our format."

Basically they are only interested to sign for fighters for length and long run, 4,5,6 fights contracts.

Vartyan turned 1 million dollars for three fights ACA contracts, wasted a whole year of his career trying to negotiate going into the UFC, all of that to refuse a Dana White Contender Serie 10K $ contract.

ACA is now hostile to Vartyan, the deal is appartently off. Vartyan can't just go back to them in favorable term. Plus he is 33 years old, not many years left in his career. We will see.