Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has weighed in on the concerning Isaac Dulgarian match-fixing scandal, offering his expert analysis as both a high-level grappler and veteran of the sport. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Sterling didn’t mince words about what he witnessed in Dulgarian’s controversial performance against Yadier del Valle.
“I’ve watched Dulgarian make his debut,”
Sterling explained.
“He comes in and torches Francis Marshall. I go, ‘Oh, this guy is a contender.’”
The stark contrast between that impressive debut and Dulgarian’s subsequent performance raised immediate red flags for the former champion. Sterling noted that Francis Marshall is a solid grappler yet Dulgarian dominated him with ease, suggesting a skill level that simply vanished in later matches.
The technical breakdown Sterling provided was particularly pointed.
“You take a double-leg attempt, you get in deep and then you stay on your knees and start crawling on your knees,”
he observed, describing Dulgarian’s questionable grappling against Yadier del Valle.
“The guy defends. You defend the choke and then you give your back. And when you’re giving your back, you start fig hting the top hand and not the choking hand.”
Sterling emphasized that these are fundamental mistakes no high-level grappler would make:
“This is jiu-jitsu 101. You’re a good grappler.”
What made the situation even more suspicious to Sterling was Dulgarian’s pedigree.
“I’ve heard stories that he had trained with the likes of Youssef Zalal and Cory Sandhagen and Tim Elliott and top guys and would dominate them in the gym,”
Sterling said.
“Like, this guy had skills, right?”
The discrepancy between gym performance and cage performance couldn’t be explained away by nerves or pressure.
Sterling’s conclusion was clear:
“I just know that guy cannot tell me for a second that that was his best effort whatsoever. Even if he was injured, that’s not his best effort.”
As someone who analyzes matches for his podcast, Sterling emphasized his ability to spot these anomalies:
“I could tell he’s way better than what he put out. It’s not that hard to spot if you’re actually watching and paying attention and you know what you’re looking at.”
The scandal has raised broader concerns about the sport’s integrity. Sterling revealed that while he’s never been directly approached to throw a match, he’s had friends hint at opportunities:
“I have had friends say to me, like, ‘Hey, if you ever feel like you’re past your prime and you think you’re not sure what’s gonna happen, just give me a heads up.’”
He was quick to shut down such conversations but acknowledged the temptation for lower-paid MMA stars.
Sterling expressed empathy for competitors in Dulgarian’s position, noting the financial pressures of competing at the entry level of the UFC.
“You come into the UFC, you probably get 10 ($10,000 to show) and 10 ($10,000 to win),”
he explained, detailing how quickly match purses disappear after paying coaches, training partners and camp expenses. However, he maintained that integrity should never be compromised:
“The harsh reality is we’ve got to work a second or third job and then use this as supplemental income.”
The situation has left Sterling concerned about the sport’s future.
“It puts a damper on it for me to want to watch the sport and question whether guys are throwing fights,”
he admitted. His message to Dulgarian and others was clear: whatever the financial motivation, the cost to reputation and career isn’t worth it. Nevada has already withheld Dulgarian’s purse and he’s lost his UFC job, making the alleged scheme a devastating loss on every level.
Opening Odds: -285/+240
Closing Odds: -130/+100FBI notifies UFC about irregularities
Large sums of money on Del Valle ML
The fight starts, Dulgarian gets a takedown, and doesn’t complete it. Reversed, and then acts like a white belt.
Just the facts.pic.twitter.com/YTQHXeAEEk
— Ace (@BettingWithAce1) November 2, 2025
