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Read Full BioThe UFC pulled a lightweight bout from Saturday’s UFC 324 card in Las Vegas following an alert from betting integrity monitors over suspicious wagering activity shortly before the fight was scheduled to begin.
The fight between Alexander Hernandez (18-8) and Michael Johnson (24-19) was removed a few hours before the card at T-Mobile Arena, and the promotion initially provided no explanation for the decision. UFC CEO Dana White later addressed the cancellation, confirming the bout had been pulled due to a wagering flag.
Speaking to reporters at his post-fight news conference following UFC 324, White said the UFC acted immediately after being alerted.
“We got called from the gaming integrity service, and I said, ‘I’m not doing this s*** again,’ so we pulled the fight,” White said.
White didn’t go into detail about what the irregularities were or give any indication of who might be suspected of misconduct. The cancellation comes less than three months after the UFC faced questions when it allowed Isaac Dulgarian’s fight against Yadier del Valle to proceed in November despite similar betting red flags. The incident involving Dulgarian ultimately triggered a federal investigation and significant fallout for the promotion.
Latest in Series of UFC Betting Controversies
The UFC’s handling of the suspicious betting activity involving the Johnson-Hernandez matchup stands in contrast to its response in the earlier Dulgarian case. Saturday’s decision to pull the fight follows criticism last fall over how the promotion handled betting-related warnings tied to the Dulgarian–Yadier del Valle bout.
In the hours leading up to that fight, sportsbooks and regulators detected sharp line movements and unusually large wagers on del Valle, who was a heavy underdog. The UFC allowed that fight to proceed, and Dulgarian lost by first-round submission, under circumstances that raised eyebrows and called the fight’s integrity into question.
The UFC released Dulgarian days later, and the Nevada Athletic Commission opened an investigation. In that case, White said he immediately called the FBI to report suspicions that Dulgarian had thrown the fight. Dulgarian has been suspended ever since, as the probe continues, with no public findings announced to date.
Besides the Durlgarian case, the UFC has faced other betting-related scandals in the past year that have already resulted in penalties. Former UFC fighter Darrick Minner and UFC flyweight Jeff Molina received multi-year suspensions from the Nevada Athletic Commission in 2025 for their roles in an illegal betting scheme tied to inside information about Minner’s injury. The commission determined that Molina had placed a wager on the fight while failing to disclose the injury to regulators.
The UFC also effectively cut ties with coach James Krause after he was linked to multiple fights that involved suspicious betting activity. Krause is suspended from cornering fighters, and athletes who continue training with him are barred from participating in UFC events.
White hasn’t been shy about raising awareness among fighters and coaches about the consequences of betting-related misconduct, warning them that these violations could result in severe penalties, including potential criminal charges.
At the same time, White has pushed back against the accusations that suspicious betting is widespread in the UFC, calling those claims “clickbait,” while pointing out that the promotion monitors every fight closely.
