James
Krause and Darrick
Minner had temporary extensions extended by the Nevada State
Athletic Commission during a Wednesday meeting.
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A full disciplinary hearing will take place at a later date.
Currently, Krause, the head trainer at Glory MMA & Fitness, and
Minner, a former UFC featherweight, are suspended for failing to
disclose an injury to the fighter in relation to his first-round
technical loss to Nuerdanbieke
Shayilan at UFC Fight Night 214 on Nov. 5.
Those are potentially the least serious sanctions facing both
Krause and Minner. The bout is currently
under investigation for suspicious activity after the betting
odds shifted significantly just hours before the fight — and manny
bettors wagered on Shayilan to win inside of a round. Minner
appeared to be hobbled during the bout, and speculation ensued that
he entered the bout against Shayilan with a pre-existing knee
injury.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Nevada deputy attorney general Joel
Bekker alluded to the ongoing investigations regarding Krause and
Minner that could lead to “further violations.” He also presented
the current complaint, which is only related to the failure to
reveal Minner’s potential injury before UFC Fight Night 214.
“It is alleged respondent [Krause] knew or should have known of a
substantial injury that required medical attention and reported to
the commission sustained by Mr. Minner and either allowed or
encouraged Mr. Minner to fail to report [the injury],” Bekker said.
“Further, there are ongoing investigations regarding events
stemming from and related to that Nov. 5 bout that are yet to be
concluded and may bring to light further violations.”
According to
ESPN, the FBI is currently investigating the Minner vs.
Shayilan fight and is in the process of collecting information
regarding the suspicious betting activity surrounding the bout.
Both Minner and Krause have already experienced significant fallout
from the fight. Minner was released from the UFC, while Krause has
been barred from cornering fighters at UFC events. Additionally,
the promotion released a statement
prohibiting fighters wo train at Krause’s Glory MMA & Fitness from
competing at UFC events until the investigation is resolved.
The implications for Krause extend beyond his role cornering
Minner, as he has been a prominent figure in the MMA gambling world
with a wagering podcast and a Discord channel on which he offers
betting advice.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Division of Gambling Enforcement
instructed the state’s sports books not to offer betting involving
Krause in any capacity, while the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of
Ontario took it one step further by
blocking wagering on all UFC events for the foreseeable future
due to integrity concerns. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis also
temporarily blocked betting on the Las Vegas-based promotion’s
events in the province before reinstating UFC betting last
week.
Prior to UFC Fight Night 214 and the investigation surrounding the
Minner-Shayilan bout, the organization
updated its code of conduct to prohibit fighters from betting
on matches within the Las Vegas-based promotion.
“As you may already be aware, most states in which regulated sports
betting is conducted prohibit athletes from wagering on promotions
or events with which they are affiliated,” wrote UFC chief business
officer Hunter
Campbell in a memo. “Many states also extend this prohibition
to the athletes’ training teams, family members and others that
have access to “inside information” relating to the athletes and
their events. In some instances, violations of these prohibitions
could result in criminal charges.
“The UFC’s contracted athletes are not exempt from these
prohibitions, which state legislators and regulators have
implemented for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of our
sport. In order to assist our athletes in understanding their
obligations under the laws of the majority of states in which
sports betting is permitted, and in further support of these
integrity measures, UFC has incorporated a wagering prohibition
into the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy expressly prohibiting athletes
from wagering on any UFC match.”