UFC 324, the organization’s historic inaugural event on Paramount+, made a monumental splash with a night of unforgettable action headlined by Justin Gaethje’s brutal and brilliant unanimous decision victory over Paddy Pimblett to claim the interim lightweight championship.
However, the spectacle had a few bumps in the road hours before the event started, when the lightweight preliminary bout between veterans Alexander Hernandez and Michael Johnson was silently pulled from the schedule, a decision UFC CEO Dana White later confirmed was directly due to a red flag over suspicious betting activity.
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White revealed the reason for the fight’s cancellation at the post-fight press conference, stating, “We got called from the gaming integrity service, and I said, ‘I’m not doing this s— again,’ so we pulled the fight.”
Watch the press conference here:
UFC’s Multiple Betting Incidents
This most recent betting irregularity is at least the third investigation into suspicious betting activity surrounding UFC bouts in recent years.
His blunt statement at the press conference was a reference to a nearly identical scandal in November 2025, when a bout involving fighters Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle proceeded despite warnings of irregular betting patterns.
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Watch a clip of that fight here (via ESPN MMA):
Following that event, the UFC announced it was working with the FBI on an investigation, and Dulgarian was later released from the roster.
Specific details of the irregular patterns were not disclosed, and neither Hernandez nor Johnson has publicly commented on the allegations or the cancellation as of right now. White also offered no specifics on which fighter, if either, might be under suspicion.
The controversy also recalls the 2022 case involving fighters Darrick Minner and Jeff Molina, who were each given three-year suspensions by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
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In that instance, Minner fought with a known injury, which was information allegedly used for betting purposes. This fight led to a major investigation and the suspension of coach James Krause.
Here is a clip of that fight (via ESPN MMA):
White has previously denied that fight-fixing is a widespread issue in the UFC, but has vowed to aggressively pursue any misconduct.
Not Just UFC
The shadow of gambling scandals now extends far beyond the UFC, affecting nearly every major North American sports league.
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The NBA was recently rocked by a pre-season scandal when Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones, and Terry Rozier were arrested by the FBI for their involvement in game-rigging schemes.
Portland Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups reacts during a time-out in the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. John Hefti-Imagn Images
(John Hefti-Imagn Images)
Similarly, MLB pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz are awaiting trial after being accused of rigging pitches to help gamblers.
Despite the preliminary fight cancellation, UFC 324 was a commercial success for the promotion’s new partnership with Paramount+. During the press conference, White stated that the subscriber numbers exceeded their expectations by double.
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The promotion now moves forward to UFC 325 in Sydney, hoping to leave this latest integrity crisis in the rearview.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
