Multiple Fighters Confirm They’ve Been Asked to Fix Fights in Another Black Eye for UFC

LAS VEGAS, NV – SEPT 13: Alexa Grasso’s custom UFC belt on display at the media at the Noche UFC media day on September 13, 2023, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire) (Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

Multiple UFC fighters have come forward to confirm that they’ve been approached to fix fights in what is quickly becoming a massive scandal for the company.

The controversy began Sunday when UFC reporter Ariel Helwani revealed that featherweight fighter Isaac Dulgarian had been released following his loss on Saturday. Dulgarian was the favorite going into the bout, and suspicious betting activity flagged earlier cast doubt on the nature of the upset loss.

A day later, Helwani revealed on his show that sources had come forward and told me they either were approached or knew a fighter who was approached with an offer to fix a fight for money. Helwani called it a “massive issue” for the UFC.

In the hours following the airing of that episode, at least three active fights confirmed Helwani’s reporting by sharing firsthand experience of the alleged dealings. In a pair of deleted tweets, featherweight fighter Vince Morales said he’d been asked to fix fights in the past, but declined, saying “it’s not something I could live with.” When asked how much he was offered, Morales said $70,000.

On Instagram, featherweight Lando Vannata said he’d been approached a staggering seven times. He then pointed to his record of 12-7-2 as an indicator of his “integrity.”

Women’s strawweight fighter Vanessa Demopoulos also took to Instagram to share her experience. She claimed she had been asked to throw fights on numerous occasions.

Prior to the fighters’ shocking revelations, the UFC released a statement, saying the company was working with its betting integrity partner to look into the issue.