Cormier Recalls Calling Alleged Fixed UFC Fight
Daniel Cormier tore into a fighter's technique during a UFC APEX broadcast, unaware he was watching an alleged attempt to throw the fight.
The Hall of Famer told the In the Bayou podcast he criticized a competitor's basic grappling defense in real time, questioning how someone that bad reached the UFC. "I'm just going how in the world is this kid so bad," Cormier said, per MMA Fighting. "These are basic things that you be able to do and defend."
FBI Investigation Revealed After Broadcast
UFC officials contacted Cormier shortly after the fight ended to explain the situation. The FBI had flagged suspicious betting line movement and pulled the fighter aside for questioning. Cormier said the promotion told him his on-air critique lined up with what investigators suspected.
The fighter Cormier appears to reference is Isaac Dulgarian, who lost by first-round submission after the betting lines swung from favorite to underdog before the bout. The Nevada Athletic Commission later suspended Dulgarian for conduct deemed to discredit unarmed combat, though he denied wrongdoing. The UFC released him from the roster.
Cormier noted the promotion now pulls fights when betting swings suggest injury information or other irregularities. "They don't play with that shit," he said. The UFC has faced multiple fixing probes in recent years, including a case involving Darrick Minner that led to his coach James Krause being banned from the sport.
Photo: X2o / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Original reporting:
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