Former Glory MMA and Fitness head coach James Krause, who is currently banished from UFC events (along with his license as a third being pulled in Nevada), has allegedly spent years working as an agent for an offshore sportsbook.
That’s according to a new report by ESPN, citing sources who state that Krause, also a former UFC athlete, was in business with ABCBetting.ag.
As an agent, Krause worked as a go-between for bettors and the site, which has little in the way of ownership details available outside of Costa Rica being listed as the locale of the registrant organization. The site appears to be bare-bones, with domain whois information shielded (a common step to protect ownership privacy used with many modern websites).
.Ag is the top-level domain for Antigua and Barbuda, though ownership of .ag domains is not limited to the country.
Krause, whose connection to ABCBetting.ag reportedly dates back to at least 2019, came under fire after multiple investigations were launched in relation to suspicious betting activity stemming from the November 5, 2022 fight between Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and Darrick Minner. Minner, a Glory MMA fighter since released by the UFC, was finished early in the bout after entering the fight with an apparent leg injury.
Per ESPN, Minner has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing. “Absolutely not. Nothing out of the ordinary,” the fighter told ESPN, admitting that he had entered the bout with a minor leg injury. Minner referred additional questions to his lawyer.
UFC President Dana White recently admitted that fight fixing was now a “huge concern” for the promotion.
Krause, a well-known betting enthusiast, ran a betting-themed Discord and Youtube channel. He previously stated publicly that he made more money off betting than coaching.
The UFC introduced new rules for fighters and their teams in the fall of 2022, banning athletes from betting on UFC fights. Prior to that, the issue was covered by various regulatory bodies from region to region.
Prior to being banned pending the outcome of investigations by U.S. Integrity, Don Best Sports, and reportedly the FBI, Krause had been looked at as one of the hottest coaches in MMA. His exit from the sport resulted in Brandon Moreno, who is set for a flyweight title fight at UFC 283 later this month, and other fighters having to make quick changes in coaching staff and teams.
