UFC 324 fight scrapped just hours before Las Vegas event as statement issued

UFC 324 lost a lightweight bout hours before the event got underway in Las Vegas.

Alexander Hernandez’s fight with Michael Johnson on the preliminary card was removed from the T-Mobile Arena show, headlined by Paddy Pimblett‘s interim lightweight title clash with Justin Gaethje.

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A short statement on the UFC‘s website revealed the news but failed to explain why the fight was pulled.

UFC releases statement on cancelled fight with no explanation

“The lightweight bout between Michael Johnson and Alexander Hernandez has been cancelled from tonight’s event,” the statement read.

Neither Johnson nor Hernandez has publicly commented on the situation, and the real reason for the fight being cancelled hasn’t been revealed.

However, fans have speculated that Hernandez vs Johnson was removed due to irregular betting activity.

Just days before UFC 324, 39-year-old Johnson came in as an underdog against Hernandez, 33, with the odds of the bout quickly shifting to even.

Then, a few betting platforms limited bets on the lightweight fight due to the unusual betting movement.

BetOnline brand manager Dave Mason took to X and wrote: “Due to some irregular betting patterns, we will be keeping the limits lower than usual on tonight’s Michael Johnson vs Alex Hernandez bout.

“Additionally, there will not be props on this fight. Important: This is a standard measure, not a judgement on the fight’s integrity, possible injury, etc.

“However, to protect both the bettors and the house, we will err on the side of caution…”

He later added: “Update! Fight cancelled. Enjoy your voids.”

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Irregular betting patterns in combat sports are often the result of the dissemination of information only known within a fighter’s camp, like an injury.

But there have been no suggestions of any wrongdoing in the Johnson-Hernandez match-up.

Not the first UFC betting scandal

In November, a betting scandal marred a UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas.

Isaac Dulgarian was cut by the UFC only one day after a suspicious defeat to Yadier del Valle.

Dulgarian’s odds of beating del Valle dropped just hours before he was unexpectedly choked out in round one.

This prompted the UFC to issue a statement on ‘betting integrity’ and led Dana White to rage over potential fight fixing in the sport.

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The UFC president said he would go after anyone involved with fixing fights, alongside the FBI, and make sure they go to prison.

“We take this very seriously, and we’re watching every single fight that happens in the UFC from the first prelim to the main event,” he said. 

In a warning to fighters, White added: “We will immediately go after you, guns a blazing, with the FBI and whoever else we need to get, and we will do everything we can to make sure you go to prison.

“I hate to see anybody in our sport do anything illegal, but fight fixing is absolutely insane.”

White’s promotion has been using IC360 to monitor all bets in the UFC for years, and a report from the company is issued after every fight.

Unlike Dulgarian vs del Valle, fans praised the promotion for pulling the UFC 324 fight over the suspicious betting reports.