Mixed martial arts company the Ultimate Fighting Championship has dropped fighter Issak Dulgaryan days after his first-round submission loss to Yadier del Valle on Saturday's Fight Night prompted an investigation into possible irregular betting before the fight.
This makes the UFC the latest sports organization to address potential integrity issues surrounding gambling. Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association, which recently saw FBI Arrests Related to Gambling Investigation.
Suspicious gambling activity was reportedly noted after odds on favorite Dulgaryan quickly changed in the hours leading up to the fight, leading several major sports betting sites to stop accepting bets on the fight due to the nature of the bets.
Chris Unger / Zuffa LLC
The UFC announced this. statement Monday: “Like many professional sports organizations, the UFC partners with an independent betting integrity service to monitor betting activity on our events. Our betting integrity partner, IC360, tracks bets at every UFC event and conducts a thorough fact check surrounding the Dulgaryan vs. del Valle fight on Saturday, November 1st. “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 taken place in the octagon. Cageside commentators Daniel Cormier and Michael Chiesa called the performance a “white belt thing” on air, implying that sloppy performances led to the loss.
The integrity of specific UFC fights has come under scrutiny before, especially in fights involving a former UFC veteran and trainer. James Krause. He was being investigated for allegedly using his mixed martial arts experience to provide information to offshore bookmakers and bettors. Krause was also suspended by the UFC for withholding information about a fighter's injury before the fight. He was never charged with any crimes.
The next UFC event is scheduled for Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
