Multiple UFC Fighters Admit They Were Approached To Throw Fights

At UFC Fight Night on November 1st, Isaac Dulgarian lost to Yadier del Valle by first round submission. The fight set off alarm bells as Dulgarian went from a a -250 favorite to a -154 favorite, and money came in on him to lose in the first round.

Dulgarian has been accused of throwing the fight, and his purse has been withheld by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, pending an investigation.

On his radio show, Ariel Helwani noted that he spoke to “multiple people who have either experienced or know of others who have been approached about their willingness” to throw a fight.

In a series of now-deleted tweets, UFC 11-fight veteran Vince Morales admitted he had been offered $70,000 to take a dive inside the octagon.

“All this throwing the fight stuff is crazy! I’ve been approached about doing it and it’s not something I could live with…even though I ended up losing the damn fight anyways,” he wrote.

He told Cageside Press, “That was way back in the covid times. Fight week during the first week of apex. Happened in passing so I didn’t even take it serious.”

Morales lost to Chris Gutierrez at a UFC Apex event in May 2020.

Morales wasn’t the only one to admit about being approached as 10-fight UFC veteran Vanessa Demopoulos wrote on Instagram, “Yeah people have approached me to throw fights also. My integrity could never. We’ve spent our lives learning skills and honoring this sport. Can’t believe people compromise their morels like this.”

Fans can find the UFC’s statement on the matter here.