A Who’s Who in the Glendale Fight Scene
Vacho Avagyan – Boxer resides and trains in Glendale. Owns a 2-1 record.
George Bastrmajyan – The quintessential guy behind the guy, the North Hollywood resident is a cutman, manager, matchmaker and former kickboxer. Linked closest with Edmond Tarverdyan at the Glendale Fighting Club, where he manages the careers of Art Hovhannesyan, Artur Bernetsyan, Gapo Tolmajyan and Roman Mitichyan.
Artur Bernetsyan – New to Glendale, the boxer known as “The Punisher” is a busy fighter with a swarming style who made his victorious pro debut in Glendale and is 3-0 with two knockouts — all of his fights having come in 2010.
Gokor Chivichyan – A legend in the fighting world, the North Hollywood trainer has lent his training services to seemingly every Glendale MMA fighter there is.
Sako Chivichyan – Glendale resident and younger cousin to Gokor is 5-0 on young career. Recently tried out for next season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Alberto Crane - A former King of the Cage champion and two-time UFC veteran, the Glendale resident is 12-5 in MMA competition and is highly regarded for his grappling prowess as a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and former world champ. Often trains at Main Event Gym, but also runs his own studios, Legacy Mixed Martial Arts, in Pasadena and Encino.
Karen Darabedyan - Known in MMA circles for his tremendous all-around game, the 9-2 fighter is arguably the most well-rounded of the current crop of Armenian fighters. Just 23, many view him as a rising star in the WEC lightweight division. The Glendale resident and Glendale High grad made his WEC debut in December of last year, decisioning former company champion Rob McCullough.
Andy Dermenjyan - Often trains at Main Event Gym and has amassed a 4-1 MMA record on the strength of a strong wrestling base.
Manny Gamburyan – UFC veteran is now the No. 2-ranked featherweight in the world of MMA and a likely contender to WEC champion Jose Aldo’s belt. The Hollywood resident is a fixture in Glendale, training at Main Event and GFC. On many an occasion, also corners his fellow MMA fighters and the trio of boxers from the GFC. Record stands at 11-4.
Vardan “Vito” Gasparyan - A former fixture at the Glendale Fighting Club, Gasparyan set off on his own in early 2009 and took up with trainer Justin Fortune in Los Angeles. He’s had some hard-luck bouts since then, going 0-1-1, but his overall record remains strong at 11-2-5. He was recently signed by Don King.
Kahren Harutyunyan – ‘The man who brought boxing back to Glendale’ is a former boxing champion himself, having gone 14-3-3. His biggest contributions have come as the head of Art of Boxing Promotions, having put on a handful of cards including two in his hometown of Glendale, the first of which was made possible by Harutyunyan going to the city council to get a temporary lift of a 62-year-old city ban of the sport.
Darin Harvey – Fight manager, and often cornerman, has built a stable of fighters that includes Sako Chivichyan, Alberto Crane, Karen Darabedyan and Sevak Magakian.
Art Hovhannesyan - The boxer known as “Lionheart” left his homeland of Armenia in 2006 to pursue a career in boxing and after stops in France and Ohio has found a home at the Glendale Fighting Club. A brawler willing to trade punches and armed with knockout power, Hovhannesyan improved his prefessional record to 11-0-1 in March and is seen by many in boxing as a rising prospect.
Roman Kalantaryan – Owner and proprietor of Main Event Gym in Glendale, Kalantaryan has trained and cornered the majority of the fighters on this list, from Vanes Martirosyan to Manny Gamburyan. A former boxer, he’s built a reputation as a stellar striking coach. Recently threw his hat into the promoting ring with partner John Nemkerekyan to create King of the West promotions.
Sevak Magakian – Glendale resident trains at Main Event and is particularly dangerous with his judo and submission game. Sporting an 8-3 record, he’s a candidate as the next MMA fighter to reach the big show. Recently tried out for the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Vanes Martirosyan - A former amatuer prodigy who competed for the United States in the 2004 Athens Olympics, he has amassed a professional record of 27-0 with 17 knockouts and claimed the NABF and NABO 154-pound titles in Dec. 2009. Handled by Top Rank Promotions and trained by Freddie Roach, he is one of the most high-profile Armenian fighters on the scene and is currently ranked eighth in the world in the junior middleweight division by Ring Magazine.
Roman Mitichyan - The Glendale resident has met his demise on “Dexter” and had his butt kicked by “Chuck,” but the stuntman and actor has been a pioneer for the local fight game. A longtime friend of Karo Parisyan and Manny Gamburyan, he gained his biggest MMA fame with a short stint as a castmember of “The Ultimate Fighter,” before moving on to fight twice in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Still an MMA competitor, he also teaches at the Glendale Fighting Club and trains there and at the Main Event Gym. Currently sports a 10-3 MMA record.
Karo Parisyan – The former UFC title contender, who often trained at Main Event, paved the way for many of today’s Armenian MMA fighters. Record stands at 18-5.
Edmond Tarverdyan - A tremendous kickboxer in his own right, Tarverdyan has been a fixture in the Glendale fight game for over a decade, as he began to teach and train at the age of 16. A Glendale High graduate, he currently owns and runs the Glendale Fighting Club. He’s trained many fighters and continues to corner Jewel City boxers Art Hovhannesyan, Gapo Tolmajyan and Artur Bernetsyan.
Gapo Tolmajyan - His years of experience in the amatuer ranks paved the way for him to transition to the pros, where he has gotten off to an 8-1 record while flashing his trademark ever-present grin.
Haik Tsaturyan - MMA fighter trains at Main Event and recently made a victorious pro debut.