Copyright GIVEMESPORT
Sport and gambling run hand in hand today. Nobody can survive an ad-break from a live event without betting companies aggressively marketing their apps, latest odds, and offers, but a scandal is never far away in any sport. There have been some particularly big ones recently, such as West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who was recently cleared of intentionally receiving yellow cards, and more recently in the NBA, last week's arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, after an investigation by the FBI into an illegal gambling ring. Now, it's the UFC's turn. UFC Centre of Fight Fixing Storm A fight that featured on the main card of this past weekend's UFC Vegas 110 event has been put under the microscope after a more than questionable performance was turned in by the overwhelming favourite, soon after a series of suspicious bets were placed. In the hours before the fight, Isaac Dulgarian’s odds as a 2/5 favourite began to drift significantly, eventually moving to around 5/6 by the time he entered the Octagon to face Yadier del Valle. This can, at times, happen naturally, but it appears the swing in odds came as a result of a surge of prop bets on Del Valle to win in the first round, which is precisely how the fight ended. The line movement was so unusual that several sportsbooks reportedly pulled the fight from their betting markets. Caesars Sportsbook and William Hill later confirmed they would refund losing bets on the fight due to the suspicious activity. Isaac Dulgarian Fight in Question Dulgarian was taken down early, dominated on the ground, and submitted inside the opening round. His performance drew criticism from the likes of former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who was on commentary for the bout. Cormier had immediate concern about the way Dulgarian put up little to no defence, before former UFC veteran Michael Chiesa laid into Dulgarian on the post-fight show, branding his performance as "absolute trash" before saying "he fought like an amateur." Even though no official statement has been made, the UFC has clearly taken note and action. Long-time combat sports journalist, Ariel Helwani, has now confirmed on X that Dulgarian has been released from the UFC. According to Helwani, Dulgarian’s release was officially attributed to his defeat, although the timing will raise eyebrows due to the suspicious betting activity surrounding the bout. "Isaac Dulgarian, who was submitted last night by Yadier del Valle, has been released by the UFC, sources say. He was released today. The official reason was attributed to last night’s loss. However, the bout has been the center of controversy after a ton of money started to come in on Dulgarian, a sizable favorite, to lose in the first, which is what happened." The situation has drawn comparisons to previous UFC betting controversies, most notably the Darrick Minner vs Shayilan Nuerdanbieke fight in 2022, which resulted in coach and former UFC fighter, James Krause, being permanently banned from the sport. The link between the two cases is particularly striking, as Krause previously served as Dulgarian’s coach earlier in his career. Krause was central to the UFC’s decision to overhaul its betting policies after being found to have connections to suspicious wagering activity in bouts involving his fighters. Furthermore, journalist and New York-based promoter, Harry Mac, has also claimed that more than 100 UFC fights this year have been flagged by the FBI for unusual betting patterns, suggesting that an audit could involve several referees, including veteran official Jason Herzog. Adding to the intrigue is Dulgarian’s own stance on sports betting. In a previous interview, he remarked that fighters should receive around three to five percent of sports bettors’ winnings, a comment that once seemed tongue-in-cheek but now feels unusually significant given recent events. The UFC has yet to confirm Dulgarian’s release or issue any formal statement regarding the allegations. However, the incident has once again placed the spotlight on the increasingly close relationship between professional sport and gambling, and how quickly that relationship can turn toxic when integrity is questioned.
