LOS ANGELES -- Edmond Tarverdyan will be back in his fighters' corners before long.
The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) suspended the well-known coach for three months and fined him $5,000 for falsifying his application with regards to a past arrest at a hearing Tuesday. Tarverdyan will also be on probation for three years.
Tarverdyan, known for coaching UFC star Ronda Rousey, was arrested in 2010 on two felony counts of identity theft and one count of resisting arrest. The coach, who trains fighters out of Glendale Fighting Club in Los Angeles County, put down a "no" on his corner's license application in April 2, 2015 regarding whether he had any criminal offenses. His license was revoked for the violation two weeks ago for the offense.
Half the CSAC fine is for violating the rule for falsifying an application and the other half is for discrediting boxing and/or mixed martial arts. Tarverdyan, 34, will not be able to corner any fighter in any Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) jurisdiction for the next three months.
In 2011, Tarverdyan's identity theft charges were bumped down to a misdemeanor and he pleaded no contest to all three counts. Tarverdyan was sentenced to one day in jail (with one day of credit), three years probation and 30 days of community service. The probation was given an early termination in 2013.
Tarverdyan declined to comment to MMA Fighting on Tuesday, but filed a statement with CSAC before his hearing.
"I want to first and foremost apologize to Executive Officer Andy Foster and the honorable commissioners," Tarverdyan wrote. "I take my position and role in combat sports very seriously, and I regret if this matter has caused any embarrassment to the California State Athletic Commission.
"In my life, I have not concealed my past indiscretions from people I come into contact with. And I do not want to do so in this instance. I train many young athletes and when I see that they are heading down the wrong path in life, I often remind them of the mistakes and regrets of my past as a way to guide them onto the right track in life. I hope to continue to take the opportunity to help others in combat sports to make the correct moral and ethical decisions in their lives. And I intend to make the correct decisions in my life as well."
The police report from Tarverdyan's arrest on Dec. 5, 2010 was put into evidence in the hearing brief Tuesday. The coach was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Glendale Police Department officers due to the absence of a front license plate. After cops asked the driver of the vehicle to exit, Tarverdyan was combative and had to be hit with a Taser twice, the brief said.
Tarverdyan said the driver of the vehicle was a boxer and he did not speak English, per the brief. Tarverdyan told police that he was the boxer's coach.
During a search of Tarverdyan's front pants pockets, officers found a stack of papers with multiple social security, credit card and PIN numbers. Tarverdyan told police at the time, according to the document: "If we weren't in front of my gym, I wouldn't have acted like that, I would have cooperated. It was my pride that made me do that."
Another thing was questioned during Tuesday's hearing was Tarverdyan listing "100 years" as his experience on his CSAC corner application. Tarverdyan said he filled out the paperwork in April, around the time of the 100-year anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
"I really didn't mean to disappoint anybody, and it was just a mistake," Tarverdyan told the commission. "I usually write 10-plus on the application."