Karen Ghazaryan

A difficult childhood, an army combat education, and plenty of miles on the road have all shaped Karen Ghazaryan, and now the heavy-handed Armenian is chasing World Title gold.

His story starts in Gavar, Armenia, where he grew up with his mother, father, and older brother. Ghazaryan says his childhood was a difficult one, but his father worked in construction and made sure to put food on the table for the family.

Martial arts found Ghazaryan through Soviet hand-to-hand army combat, his first real introduction to the fighting world. In 2016, he started practicing MMA in his hometown, and what began there would soon take him well beyond Gavar.

That next step was a move to Yerevan, Armenia’s capital, where he began training at Shahmuradyan Fight Club. He still trains there today, and it is where he sharpened the skills that carried him into the professional ranks.

Shortly after his 18th birthday, Ghazaryan traveled to Georgia to make his professional MMA debut and won in the first round via knockout. The Armenian continued to rack up international experience, competing in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and even in his homeland, where he finished all of his opponents and compiled a pristine 5-0 record.

That ultimately earned him an invitation to ONE Championship. Ghazaryan quickly took his skills to Bangkok, and although he tasted defeat in his first promotional appearance in April 2026, he came back stronger than ever two months later, as he forced the undefeated Hisashi Ezaki to quit before the second round.

Now, the kid from Gavar who trained in army combat, built his craft in Yerevan, and traveled across borders to chase his goals has World Title gold in his sights.