Jeff Molina is no longer a UFC flyweight. And despite having recently signed with BKFC, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be fighting there either. At least not soon.
The now-former ranked 125lb’er was one of the key figures caught up in a betting scandal that briefly stunned the UFC (not to mention fans) a couple of years back. Molina (11-2), along with then Glory MMA head coach James Krause, was suspected of being behind irregularities in betting on the Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbiek fight in November 2022.
Krause was a coach of Minner, who fell early in the fight with Nuerdanbiek due to injury. He was also working for an off-shore sports book, and selling his own gambling know-how directly to fight fans making wagers, often boasting that he made more money gambling then coaching or fighting. Molina, meanwhile, was helping Krause push his gambling business – only for it all to come crashing down after the Minner fight.
At least some of Krause’s actions, and Molina’s, were done fairly openly. However, weeks before the Minner fight in November 2022, the UFC changed its gambling policy to forbid betting by fighters, even on bouts outside of their own. Molina and Krause at least ignored that new policy.
Back in January 2023, Molina was removed from the UFC’s active roster, though he was under suspension by the NSAC at the time, due to his involvement with Krause. Molina had been involved with the “1% Club” — a betting Discord run by Krause, and a scheme that helped the flyweight make car and mortgage payments, he bragged.
Multiple investigations followed, with even the FBI getting involved. James Krause has yet to learn his fate, though he’s been essentially estranged from the MMA world since.
Earlier this year, Molina received a three-year ban, backdated to the Minner fight (Minner himself was handed a two-year suspension). That ruling, made by the NSAC, found that Molina not only failed to disclose the injury to Minner, but that he instead placed a large wager on the fight. The suspension means the flyweight is eligible to return to action on November 5, 2025. Yet on The Ariel Helwani Show this week, Molina claimed to have signed on with BKFC, after being handed his release officially by the UFC.
Molina stated on Helwani’s show that the UFC told him “We can’t go forward with you under the circumstances after the hearing, and we wish you the best in your future,'” which led to him asking for and being granted his release. Then came the deal with BKFC, which the promotion announced on social media just yesterday, in a since-deleted post.
However on Wednesday, BKFC announced that it will honor the suspension, which is being upheld by the Association of Boxing Commissions. “Yesterday’s announcement regarding Jeff Molina’s signing was premature. We respect the ABC’s current suspension and will honor their rules and suspensions,” promotion officials wrote.
That means more waiting for Molina, who can still compete for the promotion after November 5, should they opt to retain his services.
