The UFC canceled a bout from the UFC 324 card on Saturday, January 24, in Las Vegas after one of many matchups was flagged for suspicious betting exercise.
“It occurred once more,” stated UFC CEO Dana White within the post-match press convention. “We bought referred to as from the gaming integrity service, and I stated, ‘I’m not doing this s*** once more.’ So we pulled the struggle.”
The bout canceled was the light-weight matchup between Alexander Hernandez and Michael Johnson. It was pulled only a few hours earlier than the struggle was scheduled to happen.
The cancellation comes within the wake of one other sports activities betting scandal that the UFC needed to cope with again in November. At the moment, the UFC was alerted about suspicious betting exercise earlier than the match between fighters Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle, however that bout went on as scheduled regardless of the warnings.
Dulgarian was the heavy favourite heading into the match, however ended up dropping within the first spherical by submission, elevating eyebrows throughout the game. Dulgarian was subsequently launched by the UFC.
“[Integrity Compliance 360, a sports betting watchdog company] reached out and informed us there was some uncommon motion occurring with that struggle and [asked] did we all know something,” White informed TMZ on the time. “We didn’t. We referred to as the fighter and his lawyer and stated, ‘What’s occurring? Are you injured? Do you owe anyone cash, has anyone approached you?’ The child stated, ‘Completely not. I’m going to kill this man.’”
Shortly after the struggle, the UFC introduced that it was working with the FBI on an investigation, however White denied that mounted fights had been a widespread difficulty inside the group.
A banner is displayed earlier than the primary card bouts throughout UFC 324 at T-Cell Area on January 24, 2026 Ian Maule/Getty Photos
“The struggle performs out, first-round end — actually, the very first thing we did was name the FBI. I met the FBI twice,” White stated.
He continued, “Persons are on the market speaking, ‘There are 100 fights [flagged as suspicious],’ and that’s typical clickbait bulls***. We’re watching each single struggle that occurs within the UFC.”
The UFC is much from the primary skilled sports activities group to face sports activities betting scandals, with MLB and the NBA each coping with latest integrity questions as nicely.
In November, MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz of the Cleveland Guardians had been each accused of rigging bets associated to their pitches thrown throughout video games.
Prosecutors on the time claimed within the indictment that gamblers received at the least $450,000 wagering on the pair’s pitches between 2023 and 2025. Clase allegedly organized with a bettor in Could 2023, whereas prosecutors declare Ortiz joined the scheme in June 2025. Each pitchers had been allegedly given a reduce of the income.
Two Cleveland Guardian pitchers have been indicted by prosecutors on numerous costs associated to a sports activities playing scheme. In response to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have each been accused of rigging bets associated to their pitches thrown throughout MLB video games. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, November 9, and can seem […]
Each pitchers had been placed on non-disciplinary paid depart in July, after betting-integrity companies flagged irregular wagering on a pair of pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.
In October, Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Warmth star Terry Rozier had been each arrested due to their involvement in an unlawful playing scheme.
Billups was charged in an unlawful poker operation tied to the Mafia and Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers participant and assistant coach Damon Jones had been additionally charged in a separate however associated unlawful playing case.
“There’s nothing extra essential to the league and its followers than the integrity of the competitors,” stated NBA commissioner Adam Silver in response to the arrests. “So I had a pit in my abdomen. It was very upsetting.”
