Isaac Dulgarian has found himself in the center of one of the most uncomfortable weeks in recent UFC history. What should have been a quiet stretch following UFC Vegas 110 has instead devolved into a frenzy of discussions, suspicion, and a plethora of unanswered questions. And now, with a suspension in place, the situation seems to be evolving from troubling to serious.

Meanwhile, the Nevada Athletic Commission is set for a critical meeting that might turn this story into an even more difficult chapter for the former featherweight prospect. The outcome of that decision, combined with what is happening on the federal level, has left the whole MMA community watching and waiting for clarity.

Ex-UFC fighter is in deep trouble

Only after the commission intervened did the pieces begin to come together. The suspension was not a one-time punishment; it followed a night that left everyone puzzled. The strange aspect wasn’t even the loss itself; it was the buildup to the fight that had people whispering. Betting lines don’t generally fluctuate like they did that day, so when they suddenly began swinging around Dulgarian’s matchup, people surely took note.

Not in a conspiratorial way, but more in a “something doesn’t add up here” sort of way. Then the fight occurred, and the swift submission only added to the uncertainty. Sportsbooks began refunding bets, fans began to speculate, and the whole atmosphere went from confusion to concern. That’s when the commission stepped in, ordering the temporary suspension that is currently at the core of the situation.

The next vote might push it much further, and the topic of his fight purse is on the table—something fighters rarely have to face unless the situation is truly serious. Meanwhile, behind closed doors, a different conversation had already taken place before the fight. The UFC had contacted Dulgarian about the unexpected betting surge, asking him directly if anything was wrong, if he was hurt, and if someone had approached him.

Isaac Dulgarian rejected it all, maintaining he was OK and prepared. The fight carried on, but when it finished the way it did, the phone calls shifted from curiosity to urgency. That’s when the FBI intervened, and by the end of the day, ‘The Midwest Choppa’ was out of the UFC altogether. UFC CEO Dana White did not label him guilty, but his reply showed how seriously the promotion was taking the incident.

He met with investigators the same day, pushed for answers, and made it clear that this was not something they were going to let go gently. Dulgarian and his staff, on the other hand, have denied all claims, claiming that nothing criminal occurred on their end. Well, it looks like the UFC’s reputation is at stake now, and that’s why Dana White is already hinting at a new UFC policy to eradicate fight-fixing suspicions in the future.

Dana White looks forward to changing the UFC’s approach

After everything that has happened surrounding Isaac Dulgarian, it is clear that Dana White is no longer viewing this as a one-time mess. The way the betting lines moved, the tense conversations leading up to the fight, and the consequences following have all forced him to reconsider. He sounds like someone who does not want the promotion to be caught off guard again.

In fact, he has already hinted that if similar red flags arise in the future, the UFC may refuse to allow matches to take place. Dulgarian’s instance was not the first; he even highlighted the Darrick Minner situation from 2022, and connecting the two makes it clear he sees a pattern forming. For the unaware, before Minner’s fight against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, unusual betting patterns emerged. And after a thorough investigation, it was revealed that Minner’s coach, James Krause, was involved in a gambling ring linked to the bet surges.

As a result, Minner was removed from the UFC, while Krause was banned for life from all UFC events. The UFC depends heavily on IC360 to monitor betting activity, and White’s tone now suggests that if they detect even the slightest whiff of suspicious activity, he’d rather cancel a bout than take a fighter at their word and hope for the best. That shift coincides with the warning he issued to the roster.

The head honcho told TMZ that anyone attempting to manipulate a result will find the UFC as “their worst enemy,” and he did not hesitate to reference the FBI again. “If you try to do this—I’ve been very vocal on this—we will be your worst enemy,” White said. It’s a clear message: the promotion isn’t waiting for another scandal, and it’s not allowing fighters to risk the sport’s reputation.