UFC fighter Jeff Molina has accepted his punishment but believes he is not the only one who should be facing suspension.
On Tuesday, the Nevada Athletic Commission issued a three-year suspension to Molina. The fighter was accused of betting on his teammate, Darrick Minner, right before his fight event in 2022. After an unusual shift in betting odds was observed, an investigation was launched, uncovering that Minner had concealed an injury before stepping into the octagon. This injury hindered his performance, making it easier for Molina to bet against him. As a result, Minner was given a 29-month suspension, while Molina received a three-year suspension.
Following the ruling, Molina took to social media, expressing his frustration and calling the suspension harsh and disproportionate to his offense. He also pointed out that Conor McGregor has frequently displayed his bets online but has never faced any suspensions.
“My words were twisted here,” Molina wrote on Twitter. “I wagered on the entire card. It’s how I made extra money on the side when I wasn’t fighting, and all I do is watch fights. I had wagers on both sides of the fight, and my ‘significant’ bet was less than $500. The only thing I’m guilty of is continuing to wager on fights after the UFC emailed us, telling us to stop.
“Getting a three-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. Definitely a double standard there.”
“It’s not about making it look better,” Molina continued. “I’m saying what I did. What I completely disagree with is saying I deserve a ‘lifetime ban’ for my $350 wagers on the entire card. I made a mistake by continuing to wager, no doubt, and a three-year suspension is beyond sufficient. But acting like 23-year-old me was this fight-fixing mastermind making millions of dollars is comical. The fact is, a fighter fought injured, which happens literally all the time, and obviously, word got out.”
Before his involvement in the betting scandal, Molina had made a name for himself in the UFC’s flyweight division. He is 3-0 in the promotion, most recently defeating Zhalgas Zhumagulov via split decision in June 2022.
