UFC Betting Scandal Continued: Coach James Krause Further Exposed
The Plot Thickens as More Details Emerge

Pardum Disgraced MMA Coach Alters UFC Betting for Good
Around two months ago, renowned MMA coach James Krause made headlines for the wrong reasons. He and a few others from his camp got suspended for their involvement in a betting scandal.
Now, more reports courtesy of ESPN’s David Purdum reveals details about what Krause was up to. The results have led to what could be permanent changes that alter UFC and MMA gambling landscape.
Krause the Double Agent: More Details on What He Did
James Krause has become many things to the MMA community: a successful fighter, a top-tier coach, a content creator, an expert MMA bettor, and now an agent for an offshore sportsbook.
Details emerged from an anonymous source that Krause worked for ABCBetting.ag as far back as 2019.
According to these informants, Krause worked as a middleman for the Costa Rica-based online sportsbook.
He would give them a line of credit and login information. They placed wagers on the site and paid Krause directly either through PayPal or Venmo.
“He asked if I wanted to bet with him and gave me a username and password,”
“I think I won like a couple hundred bucks, and I ended up playing it through and losing.” Another source told ESPN
But Krause, who is suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) along with Darrick Minner, did not do this alone. Another one of his associates, Jeff Molina, was recently suspended by the NSAC and the NYAC. Molina, one of the top 15 UFC fighters in the flyweight division, was cited to have had “substantial” involvement in this “gaming scheme.”
Molina: From Top Prospect To Pawn
The 25-year-old was one of Krause’s fighters under his camp. He is 3-0 in the UFC with his most recent win coming in June 2022. He was a major promoter for Krause’s online betting group on Discord – the one Krause discussed in his appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour.
“He’s trained w/ a lot of the fighters, lives and breathes this sport as a coach/fighter, & at times has the scoop on injuries — non-announced matchups — how fighters look like in camp, etc.,”
“In stocks, this is called insider trading, in MMA betting it’s called James Krause. For the last 6 months, all my bills including mortgage and car note have been paid via Krause’s picks. Do yourself a favor and join the VIP.” Molina reportedly wrote in the group.
The UFC has barred both Molina and Krause from UFC events. Nevada suspended their licenses until the matter is resolved. But as more information comes to light, fighters that were previously associated with coach James Krause could suffer a similar fate.
UFC Betting Changed for Good… And for the Better?
Thanks to Krause, the UFC has implemented stricter rules concerning betting. UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell wrote to fighters and teams that the promotion is banning betting of any sort whether it is through them or through a proxy.
The UFC also prohibited any parties affiliated with the UFC fighters or their camps.
Additionally, the UFC hired an integrity firm to set everyone straight. The promotion tasked U.S. Integrity to keep an eye on any bouts and/or fighters that raise red flags.
“Capable of identifying and analyzing unusual wagering activity as indicative of possible integrity concern.” The UFC said U.S. Integrity:
The move has granted enough confidence in some regulating bodies to reopen UFC betting.
In Ontario, Canada, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) lifted its ban on UFC wagering. Earlier, the Alberta commission also reopened UFC betting.
But many would claim this move was a long time coming. Other major sports leagues like the NFL and NBA have strict regulations when it comes to sports wagering.
The UFC implementing something similar is a step towards its legitimacy as a sports business. Of course, fighters who have profited off of UFC betting as a side gig are on the losing end. Overall, this may ironically be coach James Krause’s biggest contribution to the sport.
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