Copyright CBS News
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts company has cut fighter Issac Dulgarian, days after his loss by first round submission to Yadier del Valle during Saturday's Fight Night prompted a probe of possible pre-bout irregular betting patterns. This makes the UFC the latest sports entity navigating a possible gambling-related integrity issue, joining Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, which recently saw FBI arrests connected to a gambling investigation. Suspicious gambling activity was reportedly flagged after the odds on Dulgarian, the favorite, changed rapidly in the hours leading up to the bout, leading several major sports betting sites to stop taking wagers on the contest due to the betting patterns. The UFC said in a statement Monday that, "Like many professional sports organizations, UFC works with an independent betting integrity service to monitor wagering activity on our events. Our betting integrity partner, IC360, monitors wagering on every UFC event and is conducting a thorough review of the facts surrounding the Dulgarian vs. del Valle bout on Saturday, November 1. We take these allegations very seriously, and along with the health and safety of our fighters, nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport." The controversy may have played out in the Octagon. Cageside commentators Daniel Cormier and Michael Chiesa called the submission "white belt stuff" on air, implying that sloppy actions led to the loss. The integrity of specific UFC bouts has faced scrutiny before, most notably for contests involving former UFC veteran and coach James Krause. He was investigated for allegedly using his background in mixed martial arts to offer insights to offshore sportsbooks and bettors. Krause was also suspended by the UFC for failing to disclose a fighter's pre-fight injury. He was never charged with any crimes. The next UFC event is scheduled for Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
