Is the UFC fixed? That’s the question fans are throwing around after Isaac Dulgerian’s UFC Vegas 110 fight against Yadier Del Valle sparked the second major betting controversy in the promotion’s history. The situation escalated even further when Dulgerian’s connection to James Krause came to light, the same man tied to the first betting scandal. Now that the FBI has stepped in to investigate, fans have started doubting the credibility of a majority of the fights.

With so much controversy swirling around, fans now scrutinize every fight more closely. While Dana White and the UFC continue to contemplate adding new measures to prevent anything like this from happening again. At the same time, former middleweight champion and current cageside commentator Michael Bisping actively defended the promotion against accusations that every fight is fixed.

Michael Bisping defends the UFC from “rigged fight” allegations 

‘The Count’ on his YouTube video said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have a massive announcement to make. You’re not gonna believe this, the UFC is not fixed! Jeez, I can’t believe I have to say this. The reason I’m saying it, because I’m seeing so many trolls all over social media claiming now the UFC is rigged.  I just put some big picks for UFC 322 for my Instagram. And everyone was like how did you make picks and bet on a sport when it’s fixed, when it’s staged, when it’s rigged. Absolute goddamn nonsense.” 

Here, Bisping took a jab at fans on social media and revealed that he already made his own picks for the upcoming UFC 322 PPV, where Islam Makhachev vs Jack Della Maddalena headlines at MSG. Meanwhile, social media continues to push speculation. Several MMA journalists, including Harry Mac, recently claimed that the FBI is investigating nearly 100 UFC fights, and those reports also question referee Jason Herzog for questionable officiating.

Even with all that noise, Michael Bisping insists the promotion’s credibility remains intact, adding that the UFC is still miles ahead of PRIDE FC, a promotion once notorious for its own betting scandals. Continuing his statement, Bisping added on the YouTube video, “Now there were talks about fixes in Pride back in the day. I have never fought in Pride, so I don’t know the details. But I have heard the stories, I have seen the folklore. I have seen people talking about it on the message boards on Twitter (now X) and all the rest of it.” 

Well, Bisping isn’t wrong here. According to a Bleacher Report article published in 2018, K-1 star Gary Goodridge told The MMA Digest that around 90% of PRIDE’s fights were fixed in the early days, with only about 10% being legitimate. Compared to that, the UFC has two confirmed betting-related incidents. Still, with the investigation ongoing, we don’t know if more fights will come under the radar. Even so, Bisping appears more concerned for Isaac Dulgerian, suggesting the young fighter might be throwing away his entire career for quick money. 

‘The Count’ gives a reality check to Isaac Dulgerian for putting his career on the line  

Ahead of UFC Vegas 110, Isaac Dulgerian entered the fight as the favorite because fans believed in his abilities as a fighter. But when he gave up his back so quickly, even  Michael Chiesa and Daniel Cormier couldn’t believe what they were seeing. They questioned how someone with Dulgerian’s talent could make such an amateur mistake. After the betting controversy surfaced, it almost felt obvious that the 29-year-old deliberately got himself caught in the choke. From there, things started going downhill for his MMA career.

First, Dana White removed him from the UFC roster as soon as the controversy gained traction. Then, the commission withheld his purse from the fight. With more legal issues stacking up, Michael Bisping now wonders if Dulgerian can ever return to fighting. In his view, Dulgerian may have destroyed his entire career chasing short-term money.

Bisping said in his YouTube video, “When you look at Isaac Dulgerian, I don’t understand this. He’s a guy now that has a record of 8-2, I believe. And he had a very, very bright future. He was a tremendous wrestler, he was very good, he was very talented, and he has thrown away his entire future as a combat sport athlete. You gotta take the hard path in life, nothing is gonna be easy. Anytime you opt for a shortcut like this, it’s never a good idea to take it.” 

Veteran reporter Ariel Helwani echoed the same point, questioning why Dulgerian would risk his entire career by being so reckless. As more details unfold, it’s hard to predict how much more backlash he’s going to face. What level do you think this controversy could reach from here? Let us know in the comments below.