The UFC world is looking ahead to one of the biggest cards of the year, UFC 322, where lightweight king Islam Makhachev will move up to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title in a massive champ-champ quest.
But as the sport prepares for a massive night at Madison Square Garden, it’s also reeling from a major betting scandal that has led to a fighter’s release, an active FBI investigation, and uncomfortable questions about the sport’s integrity.
On the latest episode of Ringside Report MMA, the crew—Dave Simon, AJ D’Alesio, and Fred Garcia—dove deep into both topics: the legacy-defining fights at UFC 322 and the “spooky” Dulgarian scandal that has cast a “black eye on the sport”.
🚨 The Scandal: Dulgarian, Del Valle, and a “Fishy” Fight
The controversy centers on the November 1st fight between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle. Dulgarian, the heavy favorite, lost in the first round via submission.
That’s not the story. The story is how it happened.
The Ringside Report crew broke down the suspicious events. Hours before the fight, “alarm bells” started ringing. A massive, unusual amount of money poured in on del Valle to win, and specifically to win in the first round. This “odd” money movement was flagged by betting oversight organizations, who informed the UFC that something was “fishy”.
As Dave Simon detailed, UFC CEO Dana White admitted they questioned Dulgarian before the fight, asking if he owed money or if anything was wrong. Dulgarian allegedly said everything was fine.
The UFC let the fight proceed. Dulgarian then lost in the first round, putting in a “weird” performance where “he didn’t seem to give much of an effort”.
🕵️♂️ The Fallout: “FBI Time”
The reaction was immediate.
- FBI Investigation: Dana White contacted the FBI right after the fight. White has since confirmed a federal investigation is active, even mentioning a meeting with FBI Director Kash Patel.
- Fighter Released: The UFC “immediately” released Isaac Dulgarian from his contract.
- Purse Withheld: The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has withheld Dulgarian’s entire fight purse.
This incident immediately draws comparisons to the 2022 James Krause scandal, which saw the coach banned for life after betting on fights and failing to disclose a fighter’s injury.
💸 Why Would This Happen? The Ringside Report Debate
The crew debated the possible motives, which paint a grim picture of the sport.
- Fred Garcia’s Theory (Low Pay): “You don’t think in a sport where guys are making 10K that somebody would take a dive?”. Fred argued that when fighters are paid so little, the temptation to fix a fight for a massive payday is too high.
- AJ D’Alesio’s Theory (Organized Crime): AJ, drawing parallels to boxing’s “Don King days,” suggested Dulgarian might have been “compromised”. He raised the terrifying possibility of “mob affiliation”, where a fighter is given a choice between throwing a fight or ending up “six feet under”.
- Dave Simon’s Theory (The Influencer Connection): Dave pointed to Dulgarian’s odd public comments, in which he suggested fighters should get “3% or 5% of gamblers’ winnings”. He also highlighted Dulgarian’s relationship with the “Nelk boys” and a gambler known as “Steve Will Do It,” who Dulgarian credited in an April 2024 post for getting him “out of the RV” and into a new home.
The hosts were also baffled by the UFC’s decision to allow the fight, with Fred arguing, “Something should have been done before the fight.” Dave was even more blunt: “They let that fight go on, and then it exploded in their face”.
🏆 The Real Hype: A Massive Double-Header at UFC 322
While this weekend is quiet, next week is one of the biggest cards of the year: UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. The card is so massive, with two champions moving up in weight, that the Ringside Report crew is planning their first live watch-along in months.
“It’s very cool what we’re seeing next week,” said Dave Simon, “Two champions, two great champions, long defending champions… moving up in weight to challenge themselves”.
Here’s a breakdown of the monumental card.
Main Event: Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena
The main event sees lightweight king Islam Makhachev moving up to 170 pounds to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight title. This is a true legacy fight for Makhachev, who looks to join the elite “champ-champ” club and cement himself as one of the greatest of all time.
- The Big Question: Can Islam’s suffocating Dagestani wrestling translate to a bigger, stronger division? Dave Simon pointed out that while Belal Muhammad got a few takedowns on JDM, he “really struggled to keep Jack De La down on the mat… He springs right back up”. Makhachev, however, is “maybe the best in the sport” not just at getting takedowns, but at holding opponents down and finishing them.
- The Analysis: The crew is leaning toward Islam. Dave, who was initially skeptical, is now convinced. “He’s bulked up and muscled up, and he’s really 170 now,” Dave said, noting that Islam will be cutting weight to make 170. AJ D’Alesio agreed, adding that a less “drained” Makhachev will be a “very, very pumped 170 Islam”.
- The Stakes: For Fred Garcia, it’s a “great matchup”. He’s become a huge fan of JDM, especially after “he dominated Belal”. For Islam, the stakes are legendary. AJ noted that if Makhachev wins, “he actually ties Anderson Silva for the longest streak” in UFC history.
Co-Main Event: Zhang Weili vs. Valentina Shevchenko
As if one super-fight wasn’t enough, the co-main event sees strawweight champion Zhang Weili moving up to challenge flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko.
Fred Garcia is particularly excited about this one. “I want to see Zhang Wei Li going up… Zhang Wei Li is a monster,” he said. Fred is leaning toward the challenger, noting, “I think Valentina is getting a little older… I’m leaning toward Zhang Wei Li… to win a title in another division”.
A Stacked Main Card
The UFC 322 card is deep, but the hosts noted a recent “switcheroo”.
- Bumped Up: The explosive lightweight matchup between Beneil Dariush and Benoît Saint Denis has been promoted to the pay-per-view main card.
- Bumped Down: As a result, the much-hyped Bo Nickal was bumped to the prelims for his fight against Rodolfo Vieira.
🗓️ This Weekend’s “Forgettable” Fight Night
Perhaps reflecting the promotion’s current troubles, this weekend’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex isn’t exactly a blockbuster. The card, headlined by Gabrielle Bonfim and Randy Brown, was described by the hosts as “not great”.
🤕 The Eye Pokes and Broader Problems
The Dulgarian scandal isn’t the only issue plaguing the sport. The hosts also lamented the disastrous end to the Tom Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane heavyweight fight, which ended in a no-contest after a severe “double eye-poke.
This led to a broader discussion on the UFC’s rules. The crew agreed that referees are too slow to deduct points for fouls like eye pokes and groin shots. Dave even noted that some coaches tell their fighters to “throw a ball kick” if they’re in trouble because “you get one for free”.
The hosts threw out solutions, from AJ’s grappling-style “advantage” system to Dave’s “yellow card” system that would fine a fighter 10% of their purse for a foul.
Ultimately, it all comes back to money. As Fred argued, if fighters were paid better, they wouldn’t be “forced to fight injured”—another form of “fixing a fight”. Dave suggested the UFC should “incentivize the finish” with massive bonuses to make fights more exciting and less likely to be left in the hands of questionable judges… or desperate fighters.
