UFC Suspends James Krause, Announce Fighters Training under Krause Will Not be Permitted to Fight
The UFC has released an official statement on the situation involving James Krause.
Here is the full letter from Hunter Campbell, per Ariel Helwani.
“On November 18, the Nevada State Athletic Commission informed UFC and Minner’s coach, James Krause, that Krause’s license was suspended and would remain so while NSAC conducted an investigation into the matter,” the statement about Krause read. “UFC has since advised Krause and the respective managers working with impacted fighters, that effective immediately, fighters who choose to continue to be coached by Krause or who continue to train in his gym, will not be permitted to participate in UFC events pending the outcome of the aforementioned government investigations. Further, UFC has released Darrick Minner from the organization.
“Along with the safety and health of its fighters, UFC believes there is no more important component of professional mixed martial arts than the integrity of the sport. Weeks prior to the Minner fight, the organization sent formal notification to all fighters and members of their teams that they and certain other defined “insiders” were prohibited from wagering on UFC events,” the statement about Krause continued. “This was an extension of UFC’s pre-existing (and since updated) fighter Code of Conduct as well as a recognition of various state, federal, and international laws and regulations expressly prohibiting conduct that threatens the integrity of the sport including, but not limited to, insider betting based on non-public information, fight-fixing, and other such misconduct. UFC will continue to take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure compliance with and enforcement of its policies and those of the jurisdictions in which it operates.”
Per the UFC.
On Friday, the promotion’s chief business officer, Hunter Campbell, announced to fighters in an email that Krause’s Nevada license has been suspended on Nov. 18 and any fighters associated with him will not be allowed to participate at UFC events until the resolution of “government investigations.”
Krause heads Glory MMA and Fitness in Lee’s Summit, Miss. The 36-year-old former UFC fighter and coach has worked with dozens of fighters in the UFC and other high-profile promotions including UFC interim flyweight champ Brandon Moreno, Grant Dawson, Tim Elliott, Anthony Smith, Laura Sanko, Megan Anderson, Jeff Molina and others.
Minner, 32, faces a potential sanction from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which oversaw UFC Vegas 64, for not disclosing a leg injury he had before his loss to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.
The commission said Minner’s actions “had all kind of effects on betting lines.” In fact, the odds swung in favor of Nuerdanbieke in the hours before the fight as he finished as a -420 favorite, up from -220.
“Along with the safety and health of its fighters, UFC believes there is no more component of professional mixed martial arts than the integrity of the sport,” Campbell’s letter read. “UFC will continue to take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure compliance with an enforcement of its policies and those of the jurisdictions in which it operates.”
Krause is Minner’s longtime coach and was the public face of one online bookmaker. He also ran a Dischord server where he advised fans on MMA bets. After the suspicious betting activity was flagged by a U.S. betting integrity firm, he shut down the service.
Regulators have also zeroed in on Minner’s longtime coach The former UFC fighter shut down the server, but he was banned in New Jersey from betting on fights where he was involved as a coach, trainer, promoter, or fighter.
Several weeks before UFC Vegas 64, the UFC moved to stop fight wagering by athletes on its roster (or via third parties) by making it a part of the little-used Code of Conduct.
Unclear at the time was how the promotion planned to enforce the edict, though at UFC Vegas 65, Krause charge Miles Johns said his coach had been suspended by the UFC.
The promotion denied suspending him, and the NAC would not comment on the situation. Krause has not commented publicly on the situation.
The UFC has tried to distance itself from allegations of suspicious betting activity, pointing to a partnership with a betting integrity firm and promising an investigation into the matter. So far, no findings from the investigation have been announced.
Meanwhile, regulators in Canada have moved to cut off UFC betting. Gaming control boards in Ontario and Alberta won’t allow bets on octagon fights.
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