Dana White has warned social media speculation over UFC fighter Isaac Dulgarian’s fight has spiralled out of control, prompting false claims that a gym was raided by the FBI.
Factory X, the gym where UFC fighter Isaac Dulgarian trains, has denied reports it was raided by the FBI following allegations of match-fixing.
In a statement issued early on November 7, the gym called the reports “false” and described the allegations as “devastating and heartbreaking.”
The family-owned facility emphasised it has been in good standing in the community for more than 15 years and “unequivocally stand[s] by our innocence.”
The gym’s message went on to welcome any official inquiry, insisting it has “absolutely nothing to hide.” A spokesperson noted that while it is human nature to form opinions from the outside, they are confident the truth will prevail and their reputation will be restored.
The statement comes after speculation on social media suggested the gym had been involved in Dulgarian’s first-round loss to Yadier del Valle at UFC Vegas 110 on November 1.
Concerns were raised about the fight roughly an hour before it began, when betting lines shifted. Dulgarian opened as a -240 favourite, but his odds changed to -160 ahead of the bout.
A prop bet on a first-round finish also dropped from +850 to +475, prompting sportsbooks to suspend betting. While the UFC confirmed Dulgarian’s release was based on his loss rather than claims of match-fixing, the organisation and the FBI are investigating the allegations.
Dana White Responds to betting allegations
Dana White, President of the UFC, confirmed the promotion was working with authorities on November 4, breaking his silence on the matter.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, White said he was not publicly addressing the accusations themselves straightaway as he was focused on handling the situation behind the scenes. He explained the UFC’s monitoring partner, IC360, alerted the organisation to “unusual action going on” in Dulgarian’s fight.
He said: “We didn’t [know anything], so what we did was we called the fighter and his lawyer and said, ‘What’s going on? There’s some weird betting action going on in your fight. Are you injured?
“Do you owe anybody money? Has anybody approached you?’ and the kid said, ‘No, absolutely not. I’m gonna kill this guy.’”
The UFC president stressed the UFC’s zero-tolerance approach, saying the promotion would “immediately go after you, guns a blazing, with the FBI and whoever else we need to get,” if any wrongdoing were confirmed.
White’s initial silence may have been an effort to avoid adding fuel to speculation, which had likely been increased by the FBI’s recent arrests of three individuals linked to the NBA.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player Damon Jones, were linked to an illegal poker operation with ties to organised crime. Meanwhile Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier’s arrest stemmed from a gambling scandal involving former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA in July 2024.
However, White’s memo to stay quiet on the situation evidently wasn’t sent to the fighters, with several sharing their own experiences of being approached to fix matches.
Commenting on the fighters’ claims, White said: “Really? Why didn’t you tell us that? Or more importantly, why didn’t you tell law enforcement that you were approached? Now? Now you’re saying that you were approached?
“It’s really weird that fighters are coming out now saying they were approached and they’re gonna be approached now by the FBI.”
UFC, gambling and integrity partnerships
It is publicly known White enjoys gambling, often playing high-stakes blackjack, and has even been restricted from several Las Vegas casinos due to his success. This personal interest in the sector has influenced the UFC into one of the most progressive US-based sports organisations when it comes to embracing sports betting.
The UFC’s strategy accelerated in March 2021, following the 2018 US Supreme Court decision which allowed states to legalise sports betting. In 2021, the UFC inked a five-year deal with DraftKings, reportedly worth $350m, making the company its first official sportsbook and daily fantasy partner across the US and Canada.
The UFC has since expanded its global betting footprint through regional partnerships. bet365 became the official sportsbook partner in the UK and Ireland. Meanwhile, Stake.com was named the official betting partner in Asia and Latin America.
However, using betting to boost fan engagement has not come without complications. In 2022, a scandal involving coach James Krause, who was also linked to Dulgarian, sparked concerns about insider betting.
This led the UFC to overhaul its integrity protocols and by early 2023, it had updated its code of conduct to prohibit all fighters, coaches, managers and other insiders from betting on UFC events.
The promotion also partnered with IC360 in 2023, seeing advanced monitoring systems deployed to detect suspicious betting patterns across all events, including White’s Contender Series.
Looking to gain more insight on the monitoring process, Insider Sport contacted the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) regarding the Dulgarian case.
While the IBIA told Insider Sport it was declining to comment on the UFC specifically due to ongoing investigations, a spokesperson emphasised the wider risks of match-fixing and competition manipulation, noting such actions undermine both consumer trust and the integrity of sport.
