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After days of silence, Dana White and the UFC have finally addressed the latest fixing controversy shaking the sport. The focus: UFC Vegas 110, where Yadier “The Cuban Problem” Del Valle’s shock first-round submission over fan favorite Isaac Dulgarian sparked talk of foul play. Unusual betting swings, sportsbooks pulling props, and now whispers of federal attention the story has exploded beyond the Octagon. UFC breaks silence on the fight-fixing controversy with Isaac Dulgarian UFC has never tolerated fighters involved in fixing, and it never will, UFC CEO Dana White emphasized. In 2023, the organization updated its athlete code of conduct to explicitly prohibit fighters and “UFC insiders,” including coaches and managers, from wagering on UFC fights, either directly or by proxy. This move followed suspicious betting activity, most notably during the Darrick Minner vs. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke bout, prompting UFC to engage a third-party integrity service, with IC360 – formerly – U.S. Integrity. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Now, with the latest controversy surrounding Isaac Dulgarian, UFC officials issued a statement regarding Dulgarian via Championship Rounds’ on X, “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.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad In a similar controversy that occurred three years ago, Dana White also highlighted federal and prison involvement concerning fighters and coaches tied to fixing. At that time, the NSAC stepped in to handle the matter. Darrick Minner received a 29-month suspension, applied retroactively, along with a minimal fine. Also, they banned James Krause and his gym from hosting fighter training at the facility. Additionally, during that period, UFC flyweight Jeff Molina, another fighter connected to coach Krause and his gym, received a three-year suspension for alleged involvement in the scheme. As the controversy grew, senior journalist Ariel Helwani stepped into the discussion. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Promotion faced criticism from Ariel Helwani for disregarding an FBI alert in Vegas “UFC was aware of this; they were made aware of it,” said Ariel Helwani on his livestream. He explained that Isaac Dulgarian was questioned backstage after the UFC received updates about suspicious betting activity. “Multiple times, he said that, according to my sources, that he was good to go, there was nothing of this sort happening, and you know, there was nothing to worry about,” said Helwani on his YouTube show. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad At UFC Vegas 110, Yadier Del Valle submitted Dulgarian, shocking many, including desk analyst Michael Chiesa, who criticized Dulgarian’s performance, comparing it to that of an “amateur” MMA fighter. Following the fight, the promotion released Dulgarian without offering any explanation for his loss, which many viewed as an attempt to deflect negative attention. “I believe that, in this case,” Helwani added, “the UFC should have just pulled the fight. What’s the point? Just pull the fight. To be clear, I don’t think the UFC had anything to do with any sort of nefarious activity. Nothing that has been said to me would suggest that in any way, shape, or form. If, in fact, he was in agreement to throw a fight, to work a fight, that should lead to a release, but still, it’s a stain on the company. My understanding is this is on the FBI’s radar.” For now, the UFC insists its integrity partner IC360 is digging into the bout’s betting data. Whether federal agents step in or not, this case has already rattled confidence in the sport’s fairness. One fight, one submission, and a controversy that could redefine how the UFC polices its own integrity.
