UFC under FBI investigation over betting and match-fixing scandal

The UFC is facing a major storm after Cuban fighter Yadier del Valle defeated American Isaac Dulgarian last weekend at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, amid allegations of a possible betting fix.

UFC president Dana White confirmed he had met with the FBI following suspicious wagering activity tied to the fight. “The first thing we did was call the FBI. I’ve met with them twice today,” he told reporters. “If you try to pull something like this, we’ll be your worst enemy. We’ll come after you immediately with the FBI.”

What happened before the fight?

Just hours before Del Valle and Dulgarian entered the octagon, betting lines swung wildly – an unusual fluctuation that alarmed sportsbooks, some of which refunded bets due to the irregularity.

“We called the fighter and his lawyer and asked: ‘What’s going on? There are strange bets related to your fight... Are you injured? Do you owe anyone money? Has someone contacted you?’” White told TMZ. “And the guy said, ‘No, not at all. I’m going to destroy this dude.’”

After the bout, Dulgarian announced his retirement, prompting White to address the controversy directly. “It makes me furious to see anyone in our sport doing something illegal,” he said. “But fixing fights is just insane. To reach this level and get involved in that… And I’m not saying this guy is guilty – there’s no proof yet – but I can tell you it doesn’t look good. Definitely doesn’t look good. We spoke to him before the fight, and both he and his lawyer denied anything was happening.”

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