Darrick Minner released as fight betting investigations continue
In addition to the release of Darrick Minner in the wake of fight betting controversy, the UFC tells fighters that anyone who continues to train and be coached by James Krause will be forbidden from receiving any UFC fights.
As one of the craziest stories in MMA, and one of the biggest stories in regard to fight betting, continues to unfold, James Krause has essentially been suspended indefinitely by the UFC. Furthermore, the promotion released Darrick Minner, Krause’s fighter who competed in the bout at the center of the controversy.
Now, the UFC has announced that any fighters who continue to be trained and advised under Krause, a retired fighter who is the head of Glory MMA and Fitness in Missouri, will not be allowed to fight for the promotion.
Hunter Campbell, chief business officer of the UFC, has released the following statement:
“Following the fight involving Darrick Minner on November 5, 2022, UFC was informed by sources that suspicious betting patterns had been observed on the fight. In the weeks following the fight, UFC has been cooperating with multiple ongoing government investigations into the facts and circumstances surrounding that contest.
“On November 18, the Nevada State Athletic Commission informed UFC and Minner’s coach, James Krause, that Krause’s license was suspended and would remain so while NSAC conducted an investigation into the matter. UFC has since advised Krause and the respective managers working with impacted fighters, that effective immediately, fighters who choose to continue to be coached by Krause or who continue to train in his gym, will not be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the outcome of the aforementioned government investigations. Further, UFC has released Darrick Minner from the organization.”
James Krause essentially banned indefinitely by UFC, no fighters allowed to be coached by him due to fight betting investigations
Per Aaron Bronsteter of TSN, Marcelo Rojo will remain on tomorrow’s UFC Orlando card due to the short notice between the memo’s release and his scheduled fight.
The UFC has faced a number of investigations from government bodies ever since the fight between Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, which ended in 67 seconds as a TKO win for Nuerdanbieke. Minner’s leg gave out during the fight, leading to the end result of Nuerdanbieke elbowing him for a win.
In the hours leading up to the fight, Nuerdanbieke jumped from a -220 favorite to a -420, prompting all sorts of questioning about how quickly money was being placed on Nuerdanbieke, with some questioning if a pre-existing knee injury Minner came in with was leaked. Minner faces potential sanctioning for not disclosing the injury to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
Krause was the face of one betting syndicate called the 1% and ran a Discord server, where he said days after the fight that he was heartbroken for Minner, and that Minner attempted to fight with said injury. The Discord server has since been closed.
On Nov. 18, the New Jersey gambling authority prohibited sportsbooks from accepting any fights that involve Krause. The next day, Miles Johns stated on a UFC broadcast that the NSAC had banned Krause from cornering him, though the commission later denied such.
In more recent days, gambling commissions in Canadian provinces have since banned betting on UFC fights, specifically in Ontario and Alberta. And with Ontario being, according to TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter on Twitter, the only Canadian province that currently sports third-party operators like DraftKings and FanDuel, it might only be a matter of time before more provinces act.
The UFC updated its gambling policy in October to indicate that UFC fighters are not allowed to bet on fights.
This is a developing story.
10 MMA fights remembered for the wrong reasons. dark. Next