UFC rocked by match-fixing controversy after suspicious fight

American fighter Isaac Dulgarian before the fight against Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 110 on Nov. 2, 2025. Photo by Instagram/@isaac_dulgarian

The controversy surrounds a featherweight bout at UFC Vegas 110 last weekend, where Dulgarian, the clear favorite, was quickly defeated by Cuban opponent Yadier del Valle via rear-naked choke in the first round.

Suspicion arose due to highly unusual betting activities just hours before the fight. Dulgarian opened as a significant -240 favorite, but the odds shifted dramatically to -160 as large sums of money were reportedly placed on Del Valle.

Simultaneously, prop bets for the fight to end in the first half saw their odds shorten from +850 to +475, indicating a heavy betting influx on an early win for Del Valle. The activities were so unusual that a bookmaker suspended prop bets before the match began.

In a rare move in sports betting, two other major bookmakers announced they would refund losing bets placed on the fight after it ended, MMA Fighting reported.

The incident drew immediate comparisons to a 2022 betting scandal involving coach James Krause, who was permanently banned from the UFC. American media quickly discovered that Dulgarian had trained with Krause, who was investigated by the FBI for his role in fixing a match between Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, according to New York Post.

Sources from LowKick MMA reported that the FBI had been alerted to the unusual fluctuations around the Dulgarian-Del Valle fight, though no official investigation has been launched.

On social media, fans noted Dulgarian appeared to lose his dominant position too easily. UFC commentator and former fighter Michael Chiesa shared the same view.

"I’m sitting here on the pre-show hyping you up as a guy that can go into the top 5 and win fights and it doesn’t even look like you could fight somebody in the bottom of the top 500," Chiesa told ESPN. "I’ve got to be honest, that was an F-minus performance. It was absolute trash."

 

 

UFC rocked by match-fixing controversy after suspicious fight

Isaac Dulgarian thua Yadier del Valle tại UFC

Just hours after the match-fixing speculations became public, the UFC terminated its contract with Dulgarian. The abrupt release of Dulgarian, who was considered a promising fighter and had recently signed a contract extension, has put his career in jeopardy.

Adding to the controversy is a pre-fight statement Dulgarian made to MMA Junkie: "I said, ‘Don’t bet on me unless you’re paying me some percentage,’ I’m doing all the work — that’s how I feel about it," he said. "...If you’re betting on me, I want some of it."

While MMA outlets note there is no concrete evidence of match-fixing, the refunds by bookmakers suggest the betting industry is trying to avoid any risk with a scandal similar to the case of Krause.

Neither the UFC nor the state of Nevada has commented on the possibility of match-fixing.

Del Valle, who was not mentioned in the accusations and improved his record to 10 wins, was praised by experts for capitalizing on his opponent's mistakes.

If an investigation confirms match-fixing occurred, the Dulgarian-Del Valle fight could become one of the most major betting scandals in UFC history, with serious consequences for the fighters, their teams, and the American sports betting system.