Isaac Dulgarian’s name has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons following his first-round submission loss to Yadier Del Valle at UFC Vegas 110. What seemed like a regular undercard fight quickly spiralled into controversy after suspicious betting patterns surfaced just hours before the bout.
According to multiple reports, a large volume of bets suddenly shifted in favour of Del Valle winning in the first round, a result that ultimately came true. The drastic line movement raised immediate concerns of possible fight-fixing, prompting the UFC to flag the bout for review and eventually release Dulgarian from the promotion.
Sources revealed that UFC officials were already aware of the betting irregularities before the fight even started. Ariel Helwani later confirmed that discussions took place backstage with Dulgarian and his team at Factory X.
Marc Montoya, Dulgarian’s head coach and the founder of Factory X gym, has since spoken out publicly to defend both his fighter and his gym’s integrity. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Montoya made it clear that he and his team had no involvement in any kind of scheme.
“My gym is being attacked, my integrity is being attacked,” Montoya said. “We have nothing to do with any of the allegations being brought upon us. I’ve actually never even placed a sports bet in my entire life. This is my life’s work, and I would never, for any amount of money, sell my integrity or my word.”
Montoya admitted that the rumours became a distraction before the fight but said he had an honest conversation with Dulgarian about the situation.
“He assured me he wasn’t involved, and I had no reason not to believe him,” Montoya explained. “We reassessed, verified what we could, and then my focus went back to my job, to help my fighters win in life and in the cage.”
The UFC has yet to issue an official statement beyond confirming that the betting investigation is ongoing. For now, Dulgarian’s future in MMA remains uncertain, but his coach continues to stand firmly behind him.
