Did UFC Fighter Throw Fight? Suspicious Betting Investigation Underway

Last-minute action in a UFC bout created suspicion over whether or not foul play was involved.

Shayilan Nuerdanbieke defeated Darrick Minner in their UFC Fight Night matchup in Las Vegas on Saturday. The fight ended in a first-round knockout, but it is being investigated by a U.S.-based betting integrity firm after several sportsbooks in multiple states reported suspicious wagering on the featherweight bout, according to ESPN.

Nuerdanbieke was the favorite in the bout, but a high amount of public money came in on not only for the 28-year-old to win but win by first-round knockout and for the fight to last less than 2.5 rounds. Sportsbooks eventually took the fight off the board, according to analysis conducted by U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas-based firm that works with sportsbooks and state gaming regulators to monitor the betting market — ESPN obtained a copy of the report.

“On Saturday, with rumors circulating among bettors that Minner was injured, Neurdanbieke’s odds to win moved from -220 to -420 in the four hours before the fight,” ESPN reported Sunday. “Just 30 seconds into the fight, Minner threw a left kick to Neurdanbieke’s body and immediately grimaced and reached for his left leg. Neurdanbieke closed in and Minner went for another left body kick before Neurdanbieke dropped Minner with a knee to the head and finished on the ground with elbows. The TKO stoppage came at 1:07 of the first round.”

Neurdanbieke earned his first finish after four fights in the UFC, and Minner, a 10-year MMA veteran, lost his third straight and fourth of six UFC fights.

It’s worth noting Minner is coached by James Krause, a retired fighter and known sports bettor. He hosts the “1% Club” podcast and a popular Discord channel that features his betting tips. Krause did not respond to ESPN’s request for comment Sunday and neither did the UFC.

The promotion made a change to its conduct policy stating fighters nor those associated with their fighters could not bet on their own respective fights.

“Doesn’t mean a fix was in,” Joey Odessa, a longtime respected MMA oddsmaker told ESPN in a social media message, “but rather someone definitely knew something.”

There are differing opinions on what happened in the fight, but it is situations like Saturday why the UFC instituted this new policy.