UFC Fighters Suspended Over Roles in Fight-Rigging Scheme

The repercussions from an infamous Nov. 6, 2022 UFC fight continued this week, as the state of Nevada suspended fighters for their role in a wide-ranging gambling scheme.

Darrick Minner entered the octagon with a serious knee injury that night. His training partner, Jeff Molina, knew about the injury and bet on the fight accordingly, the Nevada Athletic Commission found.

The fight set off alarm bells for suspicious betting before it even started, with several sportsbooks halting betting on fight night. Minner lost in just over a minute and UFC fired both fighters and banned their coach, James Krause. ESPN later found that Krause had long worked with an offshore gambling company, and state authorities said there was a “substantial” connection between Molina and Krause’s gambling operation.

It was this scandal that produced UFC CEO Dana White’s memorable “federal prison” rant. “They’re gonna go to fucking federal prison,” White said that December. “Federal fucking prison. If you’re that fucking stupid, and somebody else wants to do it, knock yourself out. There’s not enough money in it to ruin your life—and not go to jail, go to federal prison.”

Minner and Molina have not yet been charged with crimes, and not fought in the UFC since the incident. Tuesdays suspensions were the most notable punishments yet in the case. Krause has been banned from coaching UFC fighters and said last year he was $5 million in debt.

Nevada’s deputy attorney general said Tuesday that Molina had “direct knowledge of a serious injury” and “placed significant bets” on Minner to lose. Molina was suspended for 36 months, while Minner was suspended for 29 months. Because the suspensions are retroactive to 2022, both fighters are eligible to return to competition this year. Minner becomes eligible to fight again on Wednesday, although it is unclear if he plans to do so; Molina can fight again in November.

Both fighters were fined $235.

Molina said Tuesday that his bet on the Minner fight was less than $500. “The only thing I’m guilty of was continuing to wager on fights after the UFC emailed us telling us to stop.” he wrote on X. “Getting a 3 year suspension for continuing to bet two weeks after getting an email that said to stop is insane. [Conor] McGregor can post his million dollar bet slip every month on a main event as a fighter on the roster and no one blinks an eye.”

Molina admitted he made a “mistake” but added that, “The fact is a fighter fought injured which happens literally all the time and obviously word got out.”