Former UFC flyweight Jeff Molina has broken his silence regarding the betting scandal that resulted in his 36-month suspension, claiming his words were “twisted” about his involvement in the situation.
Molina was handed the lengthy suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday during their monthly meeting. The suspension stems from his failure to disclose teammate Darrick Minner’s injury before a November 2022 bout against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke, and subsequently placing bets on the bout.
Taking to social media after the ruling, Molina disputed the characterization of his betting activity.
“My words were twisted here. I wagered on the entire card. It’s how I made extra money on the side when I wasn’t fighting and all I do is watch fights,” Molina wrote on Twitter. “I had wagers on both sides of the fight and my ‘significant’ bet was less than $500.”
The controversy erupted after betting lines shifted dramatically just before Minner’s fight, where he lost by first-round TKO in just 67 seconds. This led to suspensions for both Minner and coach James Krause, with several sportsbooks eventually refusing to take bets on UFC events.
Molina argues that his punishment is disproportionate to his actions.
“The only thing I’m guilty of was continuing to wager on fights after the UFC emailed us telling us to stop,” he continued. “Getting a 3 year suspension for continuing to bet two weeks after getting an email that said to stop is insane.”
The former top 15 flyweight also pointed to what he perceives as a double standard in the UFC’s approach to betting.
“McGregor can post his million dollar bet slip every month on a main event as a fighter on the roster,” Molina noted, suggesting inconsistent enforcement of the rules.
When challenged by a Twitter user that betting on both sides of the fight “doesn’t make it look that much better,” Molina responded: “It’s not about making it look better Jason. I’m saying what I did. What I completely disagree with is saying I deserve a ‘lifetime ban’ for my $350 wagers I had on the entire card. I made a mistake by continuing to wager no doubt and a 3 yr suspension is beyond suffice.”
The Nevada Athletic Commission made Molina’s suspension retroactive to November 5, 2022—the date of Minner’s bout—meaning he will be eligible to compete again after November 5, 2025. He must also pay $235.56 in prosecution fees.
Molina had been removed from the UFC roster in January 2023 after his initial suspension. The 27-year-old has largely remained quiet throughout the investigation until now.
The UFC had previously issued a stern warning that any stars who continued to associate with coach James Krause would not be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the outcome of government investigations.
