UFC Fighter Isaac Dulgarian Released After Suspicious Upset Loss that Rattled Sportsbooks

Screenshot

UFC fighter Isaac Dulgarian was released by the company on Sunday after suspicious betting activity was reported following his loss in a puzzling upset.

Dulgarian faced Yadier del Valle in a featherweight bout at UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday. The fight ended in the first round with del Valle forcing Dulgarian to submit.

News of Dulgarian’s release was first announced by UFC reporter Ariel Helwani.

Dulgarian came into the fight a heavy favorite, according to Helwani. Despite this, he added, “a ton of money” was placed on bets for Dulgarian to lose in the first round.

Additional reporting from Yahoo Sports also revealed that numerous sportsbooks had also taken note of the suspicious circumstances. Because of this, bettors who placed money on Dulgarian to win were refunded.

Viewers of the fight were quick to point out Dulgarian’s supposed lack of effort in the first round. When del Valle took down Bulgarian and began to apply a submission hold, some felt that Dulgarian’s efforts to escape that hold were questionable.

The sports world has been rife with gambling controversy in recent weeks. The biggest story came out of the NBA when a player and multiple coaches were arrested in connection with a pair of federal indictments.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!