The Ultimate Fighting Championship has removed a key bout from its Saturday card in Las Vegas, reportedly due to betting irregularities.
UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett will have one fewer fight on the docket following the cancellation of the Alexander Hernandez-Michael Johnson lightweight bout. The organization did not immediately provide a reason for the decision, but multiple reports suggest that unusual betting activity in the hours leading up to the card raised red flags.
The brand manager of an offshore sportsbook noted on X on Saturday afternoon that his site had seen "irregular betting patterns" that prompted it to lower its market limits. It also opted not to provide props on the bout, which was originally included on the preliminary card for the UFC's first-ever show to be aired on Paramount+.
Not long after, Sportsnet MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter reported that the fight had been called off:
Tonight’s scheduled bout between Alexander Hernandez and Michael Johnson is OFF, per promotional officials.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 24, 2026
No reason for the cancellation was disclosed.
The likely reason for the abrupt cancellation came to light immediately afterward, courtesy of noted MMA reporter Rueben Carter:
MORE DETAILS 🚨
— Rueben Carter 🥇 (@realruebenking) January 24, 2026
Alexander Hernandez was injured going into the fight and someone in his camp leaked this info to a bettor on instagram which caused the suspicious betting activity and therefore the UFC decided to subsequently pull the fight from the #UFC324 card.
Carter went on to share a screenshot from the Instagram post in question, in which the poster writes: "rumours A Hernandez is compromised" as the reason for his pick of Johnson to win via knockout. The screenshot also reveals that the IG poster included the Johnson KO in a pair of parlays he shared, as well.
UFC Continues to Reel from Past Betting Controversy
The decision comes a little more than 2 1/2 months after the previous firestorm surrounding suspicious betting action and the UFC, after featherweight favorite Isaac Dulgarian was accused of throwing a fight against Yadier del Valle.
Dulgarian was around a -250 favorite heading into the Nov. 1 event. Around 3:00 p.m. ET, one-sided money reportedly began pouring in on del Valle, lowering Dulgarian’s odds to as low as -130 before the fight. First-round finish bets were also getting placed at a high rate, and some sportsbooks took the fight off the board.
UFC CEO Dana White took immediate action, telling reporters he spoke directly with FBI director Kash Patel while an “office full” of FBI agents visited UFC headquarters in Las Vegas. Dulgarian was suspended pending further investigation, and White issued a black-and-white warning to any fighter considering taking a dive.
“We will do everything we can to make sure you go to prison,” White said.
