The FBI is investigating whether his opponent, Isaac Dulgarian, obtained money from bookmakers to throw the game.
14ymedio, Havana, November 4, 2025 – The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has suspended American mixed martial arts fighter Isaac Bulgarian for alleged fight-fixing. Bulgarian was favored against Cuban debutant Yadier del Valle in their fight last Saturday. However, moments before the bout, the odds favored the Cuban fighter and even predicted a first-round victory, which ultimately occurred.
“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 UFC said.
According to the investigation, Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), a company that tracks abnormal market patterns and collaborates with the UFC, flagged an unusual amount of interest in betting on Del Valle. Best Fight Odds had him at 285/+240. Journalist Ariel Helwani noted the unusual activity.
The reporter clarified that the Cuban was not involved in the shady dealings. “Del Valle capitalized on the mistake, took his opponent’s back, and locked in a rear-naked choke that forced the American to submit in the first round,” Sport reported on its website.
The scandal envelops the American fighter. According to the expert, “at the gym, Isaac faces some of the best fighters in the world and not only holds his own, but sometimes even surpasses them.”
Helwani believes that, given the suspicion that the American was going to throw the fight and the precedent of the illegal betting scandal that has come to light in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the fight should have been stopped.
The journalist said the UFC was aware of a possible match-fixing scheme. “There were several conversations with Dulgarian and his team about this activity,” Helwani stated on his social media, but he ruled out any involvement of the company in these “illicit activities.”
Bookmakers William Hill and Caesars Sportsbook issued refunds hours after the fight ended due to the match-fixing controversy.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating Dana White’s company, a leading mixed martial arts promotion. The agency is “seeking to determine whether there was deliberate manipulation of the outcome or a leak of privileged information,” the website Sport reported .
The UFC has been a magnet for gamblers seeking illicit profits. Helwani confirmed approaching various fighters “asking them if they would be interested in losing for a certain amount of money.”
Isaac Dulgarian was a student of former fighter and trainer James Krause, who was suspended from the UFC after the controversy surrounding Darrick Minner’s fight against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke. Minner refused to disclose that he was entering the fight injured and lost in the first round.
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.