Isaac Dulgarian is suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission due to suspicious betting activity surrounding his unexpected first-round submission loss, with an investigation ongoing.
Isaac Dulgarian is still suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission. This follows suspicious betting activity around his fight in November, where he lost in the first round despite being the favorite.
Things got wild just before UFC Vegas 110. The odds for Dulgarian’s bout against Yadier del Valle changed dramatically. UFC CEO Dana White said they questioned Dulgarian about any injuries or issues that might have caused the shift.
Dulgarian denied any wrongdoing, and the fight went on. He lost by submission in the first round. On Tuesday, his suspension was extended, and accusations against him were revealed.
“The respondent is believed to have engaged in conduct discrediting to unarmed combat,” said Nevada deputy attorney general Matthew Feeley. An investigation is ongoing.
Feeley read a letter from Dulgarian’s attorney, James Hobbs, addressing the situation. Hobbs acknowledged the allegations and the grounds for the suspension.
Dulgarian denies any misconduct but agreed to extend the suspension. After the betting lines changed, the UFC was alerted, yet Dulgarian still fought.
After the loss, the UFC contacted the FBI to investigate. “We called the fighter and his lawyer,” White said. “There’s some weird betting action. Are you injured? Do you owe money?”
Dulgarian insisted nothing was wrong. The fight ended with a first-round choke. The UFC immediately called the FBI.
This situation follows a previous scandal in 2022 involving Darrick Minner. Odds shifted before his fight, and he lost. Minner was suspended for not disclosing an injury.
His coach, James Krause, was also implicated and banned from the UFC. Fighters associating with Krause were warned they couldn’t compete.
That investigation is still ongoing. Dulgarian will remain suspended until the current investigation concludes and a decision is made.