Jeff Molina is able to transfer on.
Two years in the past, the Missouri native was suspended by the UFC earlier than being slapped with an official three-year suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Fee for his function in an unlawful betting scheme with former coach James Krause.
Molina discovered himself in sizzling water after sportsbooks detected suspicious betting line motion forward of a November 2022 bout between their Glory MMA & Health teammate Darrick Minner and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke. Minner went into the competition with an injured knee and finally misplaced the bout through a first-round TKO.
Minner by no means disclosed the damage to the NSAC, leading to a 29-month suspension.
On Monday, Molina revealed that he has formally parted methods with the UFC after the promotion’s chief enterprise officer, Hunter Campbell, indicated that the corporate wouldn’t enable him to compete contained in the Octagon once more as a result of sequence of occasions surrounding his suspension.
“I’ve no unhealthy blood with the UFC,” Molina advised Ariel Helwani. “They modified my life. I’m truly without end grateful that I acquired to struggle amongst one of the best. I used to be ranked on the time. However with the dialog, they stunning a lot stated, ‘We are able to’t go ahead with you underneath the circumstances after the listening to, and we want you one of the best in your future,’ and if I requested for my launch, they’d grant it. So I went forward and did that” (h/t MMA Junkie).
Contemplating the UFC’s prolonged historical past of giving fighters second possibilities, Molina was slightly shocked that the group opted to let him go.
“I feel the UFC was type of based on the precept that, hey, in case you screw up, you get your punishment,” Molina stated. “Individuals have come again from working over a pregnant woman when excessive on coke. They do horrible stuff. They do their punishment they usually come again.
“So I assumed my 2.5 years was sufficient and I’d have the ability to come again to the UFC. However I get it. I feel they’re in talks with a brand new broadcasting deal. I don’t know in the event that they don’t need the eye and whatnot.”
Thankfully, it didn’t take lengthy for ‘El Jefe’ to discover a new gig.
Whereas talking with Helwani, Molina revealed that he had signed a take care of the Naked Knuckle Combating Championship.
Opening up about his function within the UFC’s first massive playing scandal, Molina admitted that a couple of weeks earlier than the Minner/Nuerdanbieke struggle, the promotion had suggested fighters to discontinue betting on bouts. Molina ignored the warnings and continued inserting bets as common.
“Two weeks previous to that occasion, it was utterly high-quality to try this,” Molina stated. “Then, we acquired an e-mail two weeks previous to the Minner struggle, ‘UFC athletes are not allowed to wager on fights.’ I made the error of claiming, ‘Hey, that is an e-mail. How severe are these guys? How severe is that this?’ It was a means of me earning money on the facet.’ It seems they had been very severe. Clearly, what adopted and even the betting line going loopy and out of proportion made it appear like one thing fishy, sketchy was occurring. That resulted in my suspension.”
Jeff Molina thinks krause acquired the uncooked finish of the deal
Whereas Minner and Molina have served a majority or all of their NSAC suspensions, Krause stays considerably of a pariah on the planet of MMA. The UFC despatched out a company-wide communication that any fighter persevering with to coach underneath Krause can be handed their outright launch. In consequence, Krause’s teaching profession was primarily over.
Within the time since, Krause has re-emerged on social media, however his function within the investigation continues to be unsure.
Contemplating Krause was not a fighter when the whole lot went down, Molina believes the criticism being lobbed at his former coach is a bit unfair.
“I actually do assume that the MMA neighborhood as an entire owes him an apology,” Molina stated. “This dude is a f*cking standup man. I’m without end grateful for all the teachings he ever taught me. I put myself on this place. It’s nobody else’s fault. I wagered on fights after the UFC stated cease. He may nonetheless wager. He was not an energetic fighter. This dude was a mastermind of the game.
“I feel he would’ve been the primary Corridor of Famer that’s a coach. Like, legit. Any fighter that’s beneath him would inform you an identical. He’s a wizard. It sucks that his legacy acquired tarnished.”
