Dana White & Co. end the MMA fans’ 7-week wait as UFC 324 takes over the T-Mobile Arena. While Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett headlines the event for the interim lightweight title, the match card has 11 other fights booked. However, just hours before fight night, last year’s betting controversy has resurfaced. At UFC Vegas 110, a featherweight bout between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier Del Valle drew heavy scrutiny over how the fight unfolded and later attracted FBI attention.

Dulgarian entered the matchup as a clear fan favorite, with most expecting him to dominate Del Valle. Instead, his “amateur” performance stunned viewers as Del Valle submitted him. Late betting activity deepened the suspicion. Reports indicate that nearly $16 million poured in on Del Valle only hours before the fight, rapidly flipping the betting lines. Now, a similar betting movement has appeared on the UFC 324 undercard, linked to a bout involving Dulgarian’s former gymmate.

Unexpected betting swings on UFC 324 undercard spark renewed attention

“Money appears to have flooded in on 39-year-old Michael Johnson, who was a +135 underdog against Alexander Hernandez less than 24 hours ago. 👀💰” wrote MMA Orbit, grabbing attention on the UFC 324 card.

Alexander Hernandez opened as the -215 favorite, riding a four-fight win streak and coming in as the fan favorite. However, over the past hours, bettors have pushed his odds down to -115, while Michael Johnson, who opened at +164, has climbed to -105. This shift shows similarity with the Isaac Dulgarian vs. Yadier Del Valle bout. Johnson, 39, is currently on a three-fight win streak himself.

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The sudden change in Johnson’s betting line has raised the oddsmakers’ eyebrows. Although injuries can cause such changes, late bets often signal suspicious activity. As a result, some sportsbooks removed prop bets, and many major betting sites pulled the fight from their boards entirely.

The situation becomes even more questionable because Hernandez trains at the same gym where Dulgarian once trained, Factory X. After the Dulgarian betting scandal, Factory X’s head coach cut ties with him and warned other fighters to avoid controversial situations.

“We had a conversation on Sunday. It was real brief,” Marc Montoya told “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “The conversation was that he was cut from the UFC, and, unfortunately, there’s an investigation that is being had, ultimately, that he’s not part of this Factory X team because of everything going on.”

Now, another fighter from the Factory X gym is catching attention, and the coach is unlikely to let it slide. In the past, when a fighter got penalized for a betting scandal, the coach also faced repercussions. As a result, Factory X gym’s head coach has taken a major step following the Dulgarian controversy.

Isaac Dulgarian not yet cleared to return by Marc Montoya

Isaac Dulgarian’s controversy has put Factory X under heavy scrutiny. Back in 2022, UFC controversies escalated when stars and their coaches, including Derrick Minner, Jeff Molina, and James Krause, faced betting scandal allegations. In Minner’s case, sportsbooks reported a sharp swing in his betting line before a fight, which drove heavy wagers on his opponent, and Minner lost quickly.

Meanwhile, regulators targeted James Krause, a respected MMA coach who trained fighters like Minner and Molina. Once sportsbooks and officials noticed that fighters connected to Krause were involved, the NSAC suspended Krause’s license. As a result, Dana White & Co. then banned or threatened to ban fighters who trained under him.

This year, Isaac Dulgarian’s coach decided to cut ties with him permanently, regardless of his actual involvement.

“From my perspective, that’s a massive distraction from what our job is,” Montoya said regarding the pre-fight situation. “Our job is that we prepared weeks upon weeks to go win a fight. First and foremost, as a coach and as a person, I care about my fighter.”

“So there’s a conversation that needs to be had, and we had the conversation about the allegations. He assured me he wasn’t involved, and I had no reason not to believe him,” he continued.

Now, Alexander Hernandez, another Factory X fighter, is drawing attention in connection with suspicious activity. Consequently, this development sends a warning sign for the gym and head coach Marc Montoya.