Sports News UFC Hit with Fight-Fixing Scandal

By Dan Gasch

the fight had been fixed is based on comments made by Derrick Minner’s cornerman James Krause. Krause has publicly said that he often bets on UFC events. According to S.B. Nation, he stated: “I bet every single card, just about every fight.”

Over the summer, it was revealed that Krause had been serving as a “middleman” and was getting paid to place beats for people on an offshore sportsbook. According to the Bloody Elbow website, “Krause supplied bettors with a line of credit and login credentials. Those bettors, according to sources, placed bets on the offshore betting site and paid Krause directly via Venmo or PayPal.”

As a result of suspicious activity, Krause’s YouTube channel and Discord have been shut down, and the UFC has informed fighters that he is no longer permitted to coach UFC fighters.

Coaches like Krause have been exposed to a wealth of knowledge that the general public is not. They often hear about possible injuries fighters sustain during training camp and how the fighter is performing during his camp. Someone involved with sports betting on fights leads to a clear advantage and is similar to insider trading on the inside.

On Nov. 7, 2022, the UFC announced a thorough investigation into the situation. Initially, UFC president Dana White was dismissive of the controversy. During a media scrum,

White stated, “There’s no proof anyone involved bet on it.” A month later, during a news conference for UFC 282, White’s tone shifted. White stated, “They are gonna go to…federal prison, federal… prison.” White continued, “If you are that…stupid and anyone else wants to do it, knock yourself out. There is not enough money in it to ruin your life – and not go to jail, go to federal prison.”

This is not the first time the UFC has had an issue with fightfixing. In 2017, former UFC fighter Tae Hyun Bang was sentenced to 10 months in a South Korean prison for taking money to intentionally lose a fight despite agreeing to throw the fight. Bang changed his mind and