Jeff Molina expressed his belief that justice has been served in his case.
The Nevada Athletic Commission recently handed down a three-year suspension to Molina. This action stems from his participation in a betting scandal in 2022. Molina placed bets on a fight at UFC Vegas 64, which involved his teammate, Darrick Minner. It was later revealed that Minner was carrying an injury, a fact that significantly altered the betting odds in favor of his opponent, Shayilan Nuerdanbieke. Nuerdanbieke subsequently won the fight against Minner by a first-round TKO.
According to the commission`s ruling, Molina was aware of Minner`s injury but did not disclose this information. Despite this knowledge, he proceeded to bet on the Minner versus Nuerdanbieke fight. Molina`s suspension is dated back to UFC Vegas 64 in November 2022, meaning he will be eligible to compete again from November 5, 2025.
Following the announcement of his suspension, Molina addressed criticisms suggesting that he should have received a lifetime ban.
“My comments have been misinterpreted,” Molina stated on Twitter. “I placed wagers on the entire fight card. This was a way for me to supplement my income when I wasn`t fighting, as I spend a lot of time watching fights. I actually bet on both fighters in that particular match, and my largest bet was less than $500. My only mistake was continuing to bet on fights after the UFC sent out an email instructing us to stop.”
“To receive a three-year suspension for continuing to place bets two weeks after receiving an email telling us to stop is excessive. Conor McGregor can publicly share his million-dollar bet slips on main event fights as an active UFC fighter, and nobody raises an eyebrow. There’s definitely a clear double standard.”
Molina further mentioned that his total bets amounted to just $350 for the entire event. He admitted it was an error in judgment to bet knowing about Minner’s injury.
“It’s not about trying to make things appear better than they are,” Molina clarified. “I am acknowledging what I did. What I strongly disagree with is the idea that I deserve a ‘lifetime ban’ for my $350 in bets across the entire card. Undoubtedly, I made a mistake by continuing to bet, and a three-year suspension is more than adequate. However, portraying my 23-year-old self as some kind of mastermind fight-fixer making millions is ridiculous. The reality is, a fighter competed while injured, which is a common occurrence, and it’s clear that information was leaked.”
Before this betting scandal, Molina had established himself as a promising competitor in the UFC’s flyweight division, holding a 3-0 promotional record. His most recent victory was against Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2022, via split decision.
Minner was also suspended for 29 months and is currently eligible to compete. Both Minner and Molina were removed from the UFC roster in the aftermath of the scandal.
The investigation into their head coach, James Krause, and his potential involvement in the scandal is still ongoing.
