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A fight set for the UFC 324 early preliminary card was silently canceled on Saturday night, but UFC CEO Dana White confirmed irregular betting activity was the cause.
White told reporters after the fights, where the main bout saw Justin Gaethje upset Paddy Pimblitt, that the lightweight battle between Michael Johnson and Alex Hernandez was taken off the card because of the tip he got from the promotion’s gaming integrity service.
“We got called from the gaming integrity service and I said, ‘I’m not doing this s— again,’ so we pulled the fight,” White said, per Yahoo Sports.
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Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez appear at the UFC 324 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 23, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
White didn’t add details about what the irregularities were as well as which fighter, if either, was suspected of causing the irregularity.
But it’s clear White was not trying to deal with another controversy after last year’s Isaac Dulgarian fight.
UFC CUTS FIGHTER AFTER SPORTSBOOK FLAG ‘UNUSUAL’ BETTING ACTIVITY ON HIS FIRST-ROUND LOSS
Dulgarian was cut from UFC’s roster after a serious upset loss to Yadier del Valle in November 2025. There was strange betting activity before the fight, where Dulgarian went from -250 to -154 to win the match.
When he lost, commentators Daniel Cormier and Michael Chiesa were confused what was happening, as they called Del Valle’s finish “white belt stuff,” believing it wasn’t the most complicated stuff.
Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez face off during the UFC 324 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 23, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
The FBI and the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) remain in their investigation into Dulgarian as well.
Making Dulgarian’s situation more interesting are his comments about his belief that fighters should get a cut for bets on bouts.
“I said, ‘Don’t bet on me unless you’re paying me some percentage.’ I’m doing all the work, that’s how I feel about it,” Dulgarian told MMA Junkie. “… If you’re betting on me, I want some of it.”
Other than Dulgarian, Darrick Minner and Jeff Molina were hit with three-year suspensions by the NAC for a 2022 fight that had suspicious betting activity involving Minner.
UFC CEO and president Dana White during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
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With sports betting legal in the United States, there have unfortunately been moments like these across multiple leagues, including the NFL, NBA and MLB.
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