UFC Betting Irregularities Prompt Fight Removal at UFC 324

Hours before the event was due to happen, a UFC 324 preliminary card fight was removed on Saturday due to flagged irregular betting activity. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the removal, citing questionable betting patterns. 

The lightweight bout between Michael Johnson and Alex Hernandez was pulled after the promotion received an alert from its gaming integrity monitoring service, with officials opting to cancel the matchup before it took place. The remainder of the card went ahead as planned, with Justin Gaethje defeating Paddy Pimblitt in the main event. The best sports betting sites acted immediately, voiding wagers on the fight. 

White said the call came shortly before the event and referenced past betting-related controversies as a factor in the decision. He did not disclose what specific wagering activity raised concern or whether either fighter was suspected of wrongdoing. 

No advance announcement was made regarding the removal, and the bout was absent from the finalized fight card without explanation during the broadcast.

The cancellation followed increased scrutiny on betting integrity in mixed martial arts stemming from incidents in 2025. Last November, Isaac Dulgarian was removed from the UFC roster after an upset loss to Yadier del Valle that drew attention for dramatic late betting line movement, including at some of the best sports betting apps.

Dulgarian opened as a significant favorite before his odds shortened considerably prior to the fight. The result surprised commentators during the broadcast, who questioned the level of resistance shown.

That bout remains under investigation by the FBI and the Nevada Athletic Commission. Dulgarian later drew further attention after publicly stating that fighters should receive a percentage of bets placed on their bouts. 

Separate integrity cases have also led to enforcement action, including three-year suspensions issued by the Nevada Athletic Commission to Darrick Minner and Jeff Molina in connection with suspicious betting tied to a 2022 fight.

Missouri regulators decline NCAA request

The focus on betting integrity is increasing in legal markets, with the NCAA also getting involved by asking states to consider bans on college sports betting, including in the Missouri sports betting market, which legalized sports wagering in December last year. 

However, Missouri’s gambling regulators have rejected the NCAA's request to restrict wagers on individual college athletes' performance, citing the early stage of the state's sports betting framework.

The NCAA had urged state regulators to prohibit college athlete prop bets and certain specialty wagers, arguing they are vulnerable to manipulation and athlete coercion.

The Missouri Gaming Commission declined to amend its rules less than two months after Missouri sports betting launched on Dec. 1. 

The NCAA's request referenced a recent federal indictment involving more than two dozen defendants accused of bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy related to attempts to influence NCAA Division I men's basketball games. Prosecutors alleged the scheme involved more than 39 players across at least 17 teams.

Missouri regulators said the market was too new to justify immediate changes and emphasized the need to observe betting patterns and enforcement data before altering regulations. Under current rules, Missouri restricts college athlete prop bets only in games involving in-state schools, allowing them in other collegiate contests.