Glendale Fighting Club adds Olympic wrestler Martin Berberyan to coaching staff

In furthering its ascent as a world-class mixed-martial-arts gym, the Glendale Fighting Club has added on a world-class presence.

Gym proprietor Edmond Tarverdyan recently announced that he had brought on Martin Berberyan to lead wrestling training for MMA fighters.

“It’s great, Martin’s just the best,” Tarverdyan said. “Everyone’s so happy that I can bring him in.”

Berberyan has quite a resume, as he was a three-time Olympian freestyle wrestler, who was also an Armenian national champion, a European champion and a world medalist.

Tarverdyan, a former muay Thai champion, is a well-regarded striking coach, leading the camps of, most notably, Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and UFC featherweight Manny Gamburyan. With the addition of Berberyan, Tarverdyan is happy to add a wrestling element of training that hasn’t been available at GFC previously.

“He’s working with pros in our MMA program,” Tarverdyan said.

In addition to Rousey and Gamburyan, most of the local MMA talent has at times trained at the Glendale Fighting Club, including Jared Papazian, Sevak Magakian, Roman Mitichyan, Sako Chivitchian, Alberto Crane and Karen Darabedyan. Berberyan previously trained with most of the local talent at SK Golden Boys in Van Nuys.