Controversy has enveloped the UFC after last Saturday night’s Fight Night in Las Vegas. At the center of it is the undercard fight between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle. ‘The Midwest Choppa’ came into the fight as the -250 favorite, but his performance failed to reflect those odds when the action began. His Cuban opponent easily scored a rear-naked choke submission win in the first round of the fight, with what appeared to be very little resistance from Dulgarian. 

His efforts to defend against the choke were so lackluster that UFC commentator and fighter Michael Chiesa thoroughly criticized Dulgarian for it. “I’ve got to be honest here, that was an F- performance,” Chiesa said after the fight. “It was absolute trash.” According to a report from Uncrowned, Dulgarian dropped from -250 to -154 as a favorite to win just before the fight began. And now, Ariel Helwani has revealed why Isaac Dulgarian was released from the UFC. 

The official reason for cutting Isaac Dulgarian

Earlier today on X, Ariel Helwani shared the update regarding UFC featherweight Isaac Dulgarian’s future. “Isaac Dulgarian, who was submitted last night by Yadier del Valle, has been released by the UFC, sources say. He was released today,” Helwani wrote. Notably, the promotion has yet to issue an official statement on the matter. The update came directly from Helwani himself. 

He also disclosed the reason behind the move, citing his sources, “The official reason was attributed to last night’s loss, sources say.” However, Helwani didn’t shy away from addressing the betting controversy surrounding the fight. “The bout has been the center of controversy after a ton of money started to come in on Dulgarian, a sizable favorite, to lose in the first, which is what happened,” he added.

Before Saturday’s loss, the 29-year-old held a 3-1 record in the UFC (7-1 overall), with his only previous defeat coming via split decision against Christian Rodriguez in March last year. To add to the chaos, several online sportsbooks have now reportedly decided to refund bets placed on Dulgarian’s win, fueling speculation further. This isn’t, however, the first time a UFC undercard fight has drawn attention over suspicious betting activity.

When two UFC fighters were banned after an illegal betting scandal

Former UFC fighters Jeff Molina and Darrick Minner were banned by the Nevada Athletic Commission for the roles they played in an illegal betting scandal. Minner received a 29-month suspension as he failed to reveal an undisclosed knee injury ahead of his fight against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke on November 5, 2022. Akin to what happened in the Isaac Dulgarian fight, the bout ended quickly in the first round, and it was soon flagged for suspicious betting activity. 

Molina, Minner’s teammate, was handed a three-year suspension after admitting to placing a significant bet on Minner’s fight and concealing knowledge of Minner’s injury. That wasn’t the end, though. Both of these fighters were trained by James Krause, a former UFC fighter himself, and an investigation was launched regarding his involvement in the scandal as well. The UFC later barred athletes from training at Krause’s gym or using him as a cornerman.

Minner was allowed to return in March 2025, while Molina’s suspension ends in November 2025.

That being said, it’s currently unconfirmed whether Isaac Dulgarian was indeed involved in an illegal betting situation. For now, his career with the UFC has come to an end. What is your take on the matter?