UFC cancels boxing event after suspicious betting activity resurfaces
The UFC has canceled an event from the UFC 324 card in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 24, after one of the bouts was flagged as suspicious betting activity.
UFC CEO says: ‘It’s happening again’ Dana White at the post-match press conference. “We got a call from Gambling Integrity Services and I said, ‘I’m not going to do this again.'” So we started a fight. “
The canceled fight was a lightweight showdown Alexander Hernandez and Michael Johnson. It was canceled just hours before the game was scheduled to take place.
The cancellation comes after the UFC had to deal with another sports betting scandal last November. At the time, the UFC was alerted to suspicious betting activity ahead of a fight between the boxers. Isaac Dalgarian and Yadir del Vallebut despite the warning, that game went ahead as planned.
Dalgarian was the favorite going into the fight but ended up being submitted in the first round, which caught the attention of the entire sports world. Dalgarian was subsequently released by the UFC.
“[Integrity Compliance 360, a sports betting watchdog company] Contact us and tell us that some unusual behavior occurred in that battle [asked] Do we know anything? ” White told TMZ then. “We didn’t. We called the fighter and his attorney and asked him, ‘What happened? Were you injured? Do you owe anyone money? Has anyone approached you?’ “Absolutely not,” the kid said. “I’m going to kill this guy.”
Shortly after the fight, the UFC announced it was cooperating with the FBI in the investigation, but White denied that match-fixing was a widespread issue within the organization.
A banner is displayed before the main card match at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena
Ian Moore/Getty Images“The fight was over, the first round was over – literally the first thing we did was call the FBI. I met with the FBI twice,” White said.
He continued, “People are talking out there, ‘There are 100 fights [flagged as suspicious]”That’s the usual headline-bait bullshit. We’re watching every fight that happens in the UFC.”
The UFC is not the first professional sports organization to face a sports betting scandal, with MLB and the NBA also facing integrity issues recently.
MLB pitchers in November Emmanuel Claes and Luis Ortiz Two Cleveland Guardians players have been accused of fixing pitching-related bets during games.
Prosecutors at the time claimed in the indictment that gamblers won at least $450,000 between 2023 and 2025 on bets made by the pair. Klass allegedly made an arrangement with a bettor in May 2023, and prosecutors allege Ortiz joined the scheme in June 2025. Both pitchers allegedly received a share of the profits.
Two Cleveland Guardian pitchers have been indicted by prosecutors on multiple charges related to a sports gambling scheme. Emanuel Klaas and Luis Ortiz have both been accused of fixing pitching-related bets on Major League Baseball games, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday, November 9 and will appear in court […]
Both pitchers were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July after Gambling Integrity placed illegal bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.
In October, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat star Terry Rozier Both men were arrested for participating in an illegal gambling scheme.
Billups was charged with illegal poker activity tied to the Mafia, Rozier and former Cleveland Cavaliers players and assistant coaches Damon Jones Also charged in a separate but related illegal gambling case.
“Nothing is more important to the league and its fans than the integrity of the game,” the NBA commissioner said. Adam Silver in response to the arrest. “So I had a pit in my stomach. It was very frustrating.”
