The Brotherhood of MMA

Photo Credits: www.HyeFighters.com

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Hye Fighters: The Brotherhood of MMA
By Breanna Armstrong


There is a group of elite fighters that have represented their country and culture at all times in the cage. They are located all over the world and come together as a unified group that is better described as a brotherhood. They are the Hye Fighters, and representing Armenia is their number one goal.

Araz Araradian, started the Hye Fighters Organization in August 2007. He enrolled his son into the Glendale Fighting Club in Glendale, California. After becoming involved in the sport, Araz decided to create a website that would showcase all Armenians who were professional fighters. “Hye” means, Armenian in the Armenian language. There were only a few fighters on his site at this time, including the UFC’s Karo Parisyan, who was the only Armenian in MMA at the time.

Since the site’s launch in 2007, Hye Fighters has grown significantly. They have 16 pro MMA fighters, including StrikeForce’s Light Heavyweight Champion, Gegard Mousasi, WEC lightweight, Karen Darbedyan, WEC lightweight, Manny Gamburyan and Bellator featherweight, Georgi Karakhanyan, are a few.

The fighters are mainly located in Glendale, a large Armenian community in LA. It was in Glendale at Phoenicia, an Armenian restaurant that I had the pleasure to meet and interview this family of elite fighters and supporters over a dinner full with laughs, sincerity and the clear presence of a brotherhood bonded by a culture.

“You have to have a lot of heart, we fight with our hearts and leave everything in the cage I think that is what it means to be a true Hye fighter,” explains Karen Darabedyan. “Araz, the creator of the Hye Fighter’s site, has done an amazing job with putting us all on stage. All someone has to do is log onto Hyefighters.com and you can see when we fight next, our record and our updates. It’s been great PR by being on the site and I think that we are all grateful for that.”

The site has every Armenian fighter’s updates with profiles on each fighter with links to their personal websites, which Araz created for each of them free of charge. There is also a feature of the Hye Fighter of the month, a huge honor to receive. Now, two years after the launch of the group driven by Arazs’ passion to promote these fighters, the Hye Fighters have been recognized beyond the fight industry and into their communities.

“We all look up to these guys, I respect their hard work and their dedication to represent our Armenian culture,” says Jerry Hanessian, the owner of Cage Alliance. Jerry sponsors most of the Hye Fighters and is a strong supporter of each of them.

“Being a Hye fighter is like being a part of a team. When you are on a team you perform better because you are pushing each other. It’s motivational and it’s like being a part of a family. I am ten times a better fighter as a Hye Fighter than I am alone as one,” Says Sako Chivitchyan.

“Everyone trains together we train at Gokors, Glendale Fighting Club, Main Event and SK wrestling, we all learn from each other, ” says Sevak Magakian.

In Armenia, MMA is in its infancy, many of the Hye Fighters were originally from Armenia and moved to America and took up the sport that has now defined them. Transitioning into a new culture was easy because through this sport, they found each other and Hye Fighters has glorified this. Whenever any fighter, whether in MMA, Muay Thai or boxing has a fight coming up, the entire group helps that person train for it and is there the day of the fight to provide support.

“The difference of Armenian fighters and others is the heart, the heart and the way that we represent ourselves is unreal,” says Manny Gamburyan.

At the end of the table is the fighter’s trainer, Gokor Chivichyan, when he speaks about the Hye Fighters everyone stops, listens and pays great respect to what he says. “They are like a family to me. When they win, it’s my win. They train very hard and Hye Fighters has brought them together. They lift each other up and I see that and it makes me very happy,” explains Gokor.

Gegard Mousasi was recently visiting from the Netherlands before going to StrikeForce in Miami. While he was in town he spent his entire trip training and visiting with the Hye Fighters. It’s that camaraderie that has left a trademark on this group of elite fighters.

“We have a good family relationship outside of fighting,” says up and coming MMA fighter, Andy Dermenjyan. “Some of us have known each other since we were kids, like Sako and Manny and I.”

“It’s been the best opportunity that I have ever had. The Hye Fighters took me in after I loss to Karen, I was on a losing streak and now I am on a winning streak. The training and support has really helped me a lot,” says Hye Fighter of the month, Jared Papazian.

In their community, they are recognized. Their goal is to be recognized globally.


Beyond MMA
Hye Fighters has nine professional Muay Thai fighters, including WBC MuayThai International Welterweight Champion, Edmond Tarverdyan and
2009 K-1 World MAX Champion and WKN Intercontinental Middleweight Muaythai champion, Giorgio Petrosyan. There are 48 professional Hye Fighter boxers as well.

For more on the Hye Fighters, check out www.hyefighters.com