Isaac Dulgarian released by UFC after suspicious loss and betting irregularities – Allegations about fixing fights

The UFC released featherweight Isaac Dulgarian on November 3, 2025, less than 24 hours after his controversial first-round submission loss to undefeated prospect Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 110. Although the promotion cited Dulgarian’s loss as the official reason for the cut, the decision came amid significant scrutiny of unusual gambling activity leading up to the fight and led to concerns among industry observers about the integrity of the fight.

Isaac Dulgarian has been released by the UFC following possible fight fixing allegations

The featherweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas took place under an unusual cloud on November 1. Dulgarian entered the cage as a substantial -250 favorite, but in the hours before the fight started, dramatic line movement forced numerous sportsbooks to adjust their odds. His odds dropped from -250 to about -154, indicating substantial money was bet on del Valle, who made his UFC debut as an undefeated 10-0 professional prospect.

The betting irregularities so alarmed sportsbooks that several major operators took defensive measures. DraftKings removed proposition betting from their platform, while Caesars Sportsbook and William Hill US announced they would provide cash credits to customers who backed Dulgarian to win, according to statements made within 24 hours of the event. This type of sportsbook intervention is unusual and typically only occurs when gambling patterns raise concerns about potential irregularities.

Del Valle ended the fight via rear-naked choke at 3:41 of the first round. Dulgarian’s performance drew heavy criticism from UFC analyst and fighter Michael Chiesa during the ESPN+ broadcast. Noting several technical flaws, Chiesa said, “When you’re on the main card of a UFC event, it’s one thing to get caught and submitted, but there were a lot of fundamental mistakes. I was here during the pre-show to promote you as someone who could break into the top five, but it seemed like you couldn’t compete with someone who was at the bottom of the top 500. To be honest, that was an F performance. It was complete bullshit.”

Known as “The Midwest Choppa,” Dulgarian had amassed a 7-1 record before heading to the UFC in 2023. His UFC tenure was mixed, with the Kansas City-based fighter posting a 2-2 record. He had won his previous fight against Brendon Marotte via arm triangle submission in September 2024. However, observers noted that his performance on Saturday differed significantly from his established wrestling approach, with commentators questioning his takedown execution and his defensive positioning against del Valle’s submission attempt.

The incident echoes a 2022 gambling scandal involving UFC fighter Darrick Minner, who suffered a TKO loss to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke amid suspicious betting line swings. That case led to the Nevada Athletic Commission suspending both Minner and his coach James Krause, while the FBI investigated allegations of illegal gambling coordination. Krause was subsequently banned from MMA afterwards proof revealed he was selling betting tips through his Discord channel and working with UFC flyweight Jeff Molina.

Notably, Dulgarian had trained alongside Krause during his career, a detail that intensified scrutiny surrounding the fight. However, no evidence has emerged directly linking Dulgarian to the gambling anomalies or indicating any intentional misconduct. UFC reporter Ariel Helwani reported the publication on social media on November 3, stating that “the official reason was attributed to last night’s loss,” although he acknowledged the gambling controversy surrounding the event.

Dulgarian’s record dropped to 7-2 overall and 2-2 within the UFC. The promotion hasn’t released an official statement about the release or anything like that investigation into the gambling activities surrounding the fight, although the timing and context of Dulgarian’s release suggest that the betting irregularities played a role in the decision.