UFC fighter Jeff Molina has stated that justice has been served regarding his recent suspension.
The Nevada Athletic Commission has suspended Molina from competition for three years due to his participation in a 2022 betting scandal. He placed bets on a fight at UFC Vegas 64 involving his teammate Darrick Minner. It was revealed that Minner had an undisclosed injury, causing significant changes in betting odds favoring his opponent, Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, who won by TKO in the first round.
The commission determined that Molina was aware of Minner`s injury, did not disclose it, and still bet on the fight. Molina`s suspension is retroactive to November 2022, and he will be eligible to compete again on November 5, 2025.
Following the announcement, Molina addressed criticism that his suspension should have been a lifetime ban.
In a Twitter post, Molina clarified his actions, stating his words were misinterpreted. He explained that he bet on multiple fights on the card as a way to earn extra income while not actively fighting, emphasizing his passion for watching fights. He mentioned having bets on both fighters in the bout in question and that his largest bet was under $500. Molina admitted his wrongdoing was continuing to bet after the UFC instructed fighters to stop via email.
Molina argued that a three-year suspension for betting two weeks after receiving the email was excessive, pointing out what he perceives as a double standard by comparing it to Conor McGregor publicly sharing large bet slips without consequence.
Molina further stated his total bets amounted to $350 for the entire event and acknowledged it was a mistake to bet knowing about Minner`s injury.
Molina defended himself, stating he wasn`t trying to minimize his actions but disagreed with the idea that he deserved a lifetime ban for $350 in bets. He admitted his mistake in continuing to bet, accepting the three-year suspension as more than sufficient. However, he dismissed the notion that he was a “fight-fixing mastermind” making millions, adding that fighters competing with injuries is common and information leaks.
Before the betting scandal, Molina was establishing himself in the UFC flyweight division, holding a 3-0 record in the promotion, with his most recent victory against Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2022.
Darrick Minner received a 29-month suspension and is currently eligible to compete. Both Molina and Minner were removed from the UFC roster after the scandal.
The investigation into their head coach, James Krause`s, involvement is still ongoing.
