“If I penalize them… you get cut. They’re gonna go to federal prison. Federal f—ing prison!” Dana White made that statement at the UFC 282 post-fight presser back in 2022, when James Krause’s betting controversy was at its peak. The impact was so massive that several sportsbooks actually pulled UFC events from their rosters during the investigation. And now, three years later, the shadows of that scandal seem to have crept back, as a fight from the latest UFC Vegas 110 event has come under suspicion.

At the UFC’s latest Fight Night, Yadier del Valle and Isaac Dulgarian faced off in a featherweight bout that drew fans’ attention for all the wrong reasons. Fans labeled Dulgarian a heavy favorite during fight week, but del Valle submitted him in the first round. Fair. Surprises can happen in a fight and who doesn’t love watching an underdog pull the upset? What really raised eyebrows came from the sudden shift in betting lines just moments before the finish, as huge amounts of money poured in on the underdog’s side. The timing immediately sparked concern across social media, and many fans began suggesting that the fight was fixed. Now, some are even claiming that the FBI is actively investigating the matter.

FBI allegedly launches an investigation after the UFC Vegas 110 fight faces illegal betting allegations

After Yadier del Valle finished Isaac Dulgarian in the first round with a rear-naked choke, many fans began pointing out that the sequence leading to the finish didn’t look natural. Popular combat sports social media personality Hayden Iverson, from Home of Fight, even posted a video on his Instagram account Hayjivepicks, saying, “He’s gonna tap. He’s acting like he’s trying to get out of it, cause he’s trying to sell it. This is actually insane. FBI, please investigate this, because this was a fixed fight.”

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He went on to talk about the betting disruption that occurred during the fight, as the live odds started shifting rapidly, again urging the FBI to look into the situation. Hayden added, “It was a fixed fight. Isaac Dulgarian was -270 hours before the fight, money comes in on Yadier del Valle, money line, and to finish in round 1. That was a fixed fight, FBI investigate it now.” Following his statement, another social media account claimed that the FBI had already contacted the UFC to investigate the matter.

Harry Mac, who has previously broken news for ESPN and is followed by respected outlets like Red Corner MMA, also weighed in on X, posting, “VERY important tidbit here: the FBI notified the UFC of the abnormal action and line movement and gave them hours to pull the fight. They chose to continue and from my perspective, are now complicit in fixing a fight.” Although Mac claimed the FBI had alerted the UFC, he didn’t provide any sources to confirm the claim, so the actual details remain unclear so far.

In a follow-up post much later, the same X account stated, “Update: federal regulators have flagged OVER 100 UFC fights this year for abnormal betting patterns, including 2 additional fighters on last nights card. Sh-t is about to get VERY ugly. Still working to confirm but it sounds like the Feds are moving to audit Herzogs fights.”

Interestingly, Isaac Dulgarian was once associated with James Krause, the same coach who was banned from the UFC after an investigation into a similar betting scandal. That case involved a dramatic line shift just before Krause’s fighter, Darrick Minner, lost to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Vegas 64 in 2022. And honestly, this connection could bring trouble as the current investigation picks up steam.

As fans continue to suspect foul play, UFC fighter Michael Chiesa also expressed disbelief at Dulgarian’s poor performance, which, combined with the suspicious betting movement, has only added more fuel to the controversy. 

Michael Chiesa lambasts ‘The Midwest Choppa’ on his performance  

Heading into UFC Vegas 110, fans viewed Isaac Dulgarian as the favorite against the undefeated Yadier del Valle, mainly because he held more experience inside the promotion. The Kansas City native had taken Christian Rodriguez to a split decision and submitted Brendon Marotte with a triangle choke in his last fight. So, it’s not like he was an amateur stepping into the cage. But what UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa saw that night made him question whether Dulgarian fought like a professional at all.

During the UFC post-fight show, Chiesa said, “If you’re on the main card of a UFC event, it’s one thing if you get punched into submission, but there were a lot of Day 1 mistakes. You could even hear on the broadcast, ‘What is this guy doing?’ You peel the top hand. You don’t punch behind you. That is the most useless strike you can possibly throw.” The welterweight fighter went on to say that he was disappointed to see such a talented athlete perform like an amateur, calling Dulgarian’s showing “absolutely trash.”

He added, “I’m sitting here on the pre-show hyping you up as a guy who could break into the top five and win fights, and it didn’t even look like you could beat someone ranked in the bottom 500. I’ve got to be honest here. That was an F- performance. It was absolute trash.”

Now, with the 29-year-old’s poor performance and his involvement in a suspicious loss, both he and the UFC are facing a troubling situation. That said, as more details are yet to unfold, the question remains: What will Dana White and his team do next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.