Isaac Dulgarian is a 29-year-old American mixed martial artist competing in the UFC’s featherweight division. Nicknamed “The Midwest Choppa,” he’s known for a gritty wrestling-based style built on his Kansas roots.
Dulgarian was a rising prospect with a solid record, but in late 2025, he became the center of a viral controversy. In November 2025, sportsbooks flagged unusual betting patterns around his fight at UFC Vegas 110, where he had been a heavy favorite. Bettors noticed huge wagers on his opponent, Yadier del Valle, forcing the odds to shift sharply. The UFC’s integrity partners halted wagering and even refunded losing bets.
Shortly after Dulgarian’s first-round submission loss, the UFC confirmed it was reviewing the bout. Two days later, the promotion announced his release from the roster. This betting scandal – the first of its kind in UFC history – sent shockwaves through MMA media and social platforms, making Dulgarian one of the most talked-about figures in mixed martial arts for 2025.
Isaac Dulgarian’s Family Roots, Wrestling Beginnings & Early Life Story
Isaac Dulgarian was born on July 4, 1996, in Fort Scott, Kansas. He grew up in the Midwest and excelled at wrestling from a young age. Dulgarian attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kansas, where he captured multiple state titles – winning the Kansas Class 5A state championship at 120 pounds in 2012 and again at 160 pounds in 2014.
His decorated wrestling career continued in college: he earned NCAA Division II All-American honors, finishing as runner-up at 149 lbs in the 2016 NCAA Division II Championships while competing for Notre Dame College.
These achievements laid the foundation for Dulgarian’s MMA style. Off the mat, he comes from a mixed heritage. His mother is of Armenian descent, and Dulgarian proudly acknowledges his Armenian roots, even entering the Octagon carrying the Armenian flag on occasion.
After college, he relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, to train full-time, joining FactoryX Muay Thai as his home gym tapology.com . Ther,e he sharpened his grappling and striking under the guidance of local coaches. Despite his tough persona in the cage, Dulgarian has largely kept personal details private; he rarely speaks publicly about his upbringing beyond his love for wrestling and fighting.
Inside Isaac Dulgarian’s Private World: Girlfriend, Family & Life in 2025
In 2025, Isaac Dulgarian’s private life has remained relatively guarded, but a few details have emerged. He is in a committed relationship with fellow mixed martial artist Alexa Culp, a bantamweight competitor in the UFC. The couple welcomed their first child together in early 2024 – a daughter born in April 2024, according to their public baby registry.
Dulgarian occasionally shares glimpses of family life on social media, but he generally balances his public MMA career with a desire for normalcy at home. Alexa and Isaac train in the Kansas City area when not on fight camps, trying to juggle parenthood and preparation.
He has mentioned that fatherhood has given him extra motivation, though he keeps the details of daily routines and family life mostly out of the spotlight.
Other than his relationship and new role as a dad, Dulgarian maintains a quiet lifestyle focused on training. He has no known past marriages, no publicly listed siblings, and no scandals outside the fighting world – making the 2025 betting controversy the only major news to intrude on his otherwise private life.
Isaac Dulgarian’s UFC Journey: Fight Record, Rise & 2025 Controversy
Dulgarian’s MMA journey began after college wrestling. He turned pro around 2020, fighting on the Midwest regional circuit. In those early years, he amassed a perfect 5–0 record, capturing the Fighting Alliance Championship (FAC) featherweight title along the way. His FAC championship and undefeated slate earned him a UFC contract in 2022.
He was initially scheduled to debut earlier, but after a brief cancellation, he finally made his Octagon debut on August 12, 2023 at UFC Fight Night (Vegas 78). In that first fight, Dulgarian dominated fellow newcomer Francis Marshall and won by first-round TKO via ground-and-pound. This impressive showing helped him secure his standing. Over the next two years, Dulgarian went 2–2 in the UFC.
In March 2024, he faced Christian Rodriguez and suffered a narrow split-decision loss, his first professional defeat. He bounced back in September 2024 by submitting Brendon Marotte with an arm-triangle choke in round two. That 2024 win brought his UFC record to 2–1 and overall pro record to 7–1.
Dulgarian’s performances earned him a new four-fight UFC contract in August 2025. He was set to headline a Fight Night on November 1, 2025. In that return match, however, he was upset by promotional newcomer Yadier del Valle, dropping a first-round submission. This result immediately drew scrutiny, as sportsbooks noted that Dulgarian had been a heavy -250 favorite until late money on del Valle caused odds to swing and wagering to be halted. Shortly after the bout, MMA media reported that Dulgarian had been released from the UFC.
Throughout his career, Dulgarian became known for a grinding, wrestling-centered approach. He often trains at FactoryX in Kansas City, utilizing relentless pressure and top control. His fight history (7–2 as of late 2025) includes four stoppage wins (TKO or KO) and three by submission, reflecting both striking power and grappling skill.
Key turning points were winning the regional FAC title and earning his UFC deal, as well as the backlash and release following the controversial fight that made him an internet sensation in 2025. Dulgarian has given few interviews, so most of this timeline is pieced together from fight records and official statements; he rarely comments beyond the cage on his prospects.
How Much Isaac Dulgarian Really Earns: Net Worth & Income in 2025?
Estimating Dulgarian’s wealth is difficult because few details are public. As an entry-level UFC fighter, his base fight payouts would have been relatively modest (likely in the low five figures per bout), and any sponsorship deals would be small by superstar standards. In fact, public records show no disclosed earnings for Dulgarian’s fights.
Tapology – a known MMA data site – lists his “Career Disclosed Earnings” as $0, meaning no official purse or bonus has been published.
In practical terms, Dulgarian’s net worth in 2025 is probably quite low by celebrity standards, as he hadn’t headlined big paydays or major endorsements. He was not known to have business ventures or real estate holdings. The only confirmed income would have been UFC fight purses (if disclosed) and perhaps small personal sponsorships from apparel or nutrition brands.
Since the UFC typically pays around $12,000–$14,000 to show (and the same to win) for newer fighters, Dulgarian’s career fight earnings were likely on the order of a few tens of thousands in total. Without any major bonuses or pay-per-view shares, any estimates of his net worth would be speculative as per Tapology.
In short, no reliable public source lists Dulgarian’s net worth, and fans should assume his earnings were modest and consistent with a young fighter building his career.
Fast Facts You Didn’t Know About Isaac Dulgarian
Isaac Dulgarian stands about 5 feet 7 inches tall and competes at roughly 146 pounds (featherweight). His motto is embodied in the nickname “The Midwest Choppa,” reflecting his Kansas roots and his aggressive grappling style.
Before the UFC, he was an undefeated champion in the midwestern regional scene. He trains out of Kansas City at FactoryX Muay Thai, and is known for a heavy top-pressure game. Dulgarian is a former Kansas high school state wrestling champion (2012 and 2014), and was an NCAA Division II runner-up in college (Notre Dame College, 2016) nwhof.org , which explains his grappling pedigree.
Despite fighting under the American flag, Dulgarian proudly honors his Armenian heritage (on his mother’s side), often entering with the Armenian flag. Another fun fact: he was featured in a UFC portrait session in Las Vegas in October 2025 just weeks before the Vegas 110 fight.
Until 2025 he had never been finished in his pro career, making his upset loss to Yadier del Valle a shocking first×ever stoppage of Dulgarian .
Frequently Asked Questions About Isaac Dulgarian
Q: Why did the UFC release Isaac Dulgarian?
After Dulgarian’s first-round loss to Yadier del Valle on Nov. 1, 2025, an independent betting monitor flagged unusual wagering on the bout. Dulgarian had been a heavy favorite (-250), but a surge of bets on his opponent caused the line to swing dramatically, prompting sportsbooks to halt betting and refund wagers. The UFC took these allegations seriously, stating it was reviewing the betting activity surrounding the fight. Two days later, the promotion announced Dulgarian was cut from the roster. In official comments the UFC pointed to integrity monitors and a “thorough review of the facts,” effectively acknowledging that the betting patterns (and his surprising loss) were under investigation.
Q: Who is Isaac Dulgarian’s partner or girlfriend?
Isaac Dulgarian is in a relationship with UFC bantamweight fighter Alexa Culp. The two share a child: their daughter was born in early 2024 (she was due April 7, 2024, per public baby registry records). Beyond this, they keep personal matters relatively private. Dulgarian has expressed that Alexa is very supportive of his career, and the couple often posts training or family photos online, but neither of them is frequently in mainstream interviews. As of 2025, the UFC has not released any official statements about their relationship, but the baby registry clearly shows they are a couple and new parents.
Q: What is Isaac Dulgarian’s fight record?
Before his Nov 2025 bout, Dulgarian’s professional MMA record was 7 wins and 1 loss. This included two wins in the UFC (a first-round TKO over Francis Marshall and a second-round submission over Brendon Marotte and one split-decision loss. After his November 2025 fight, which he lost by first-round submission, his record became 7–2. He has won four fights by TKO/KO and three by submission in his career.
Q: What championships or accolades has Dulgarian won?
Dulgarian was a state champion wrestler in Kansas during high school (2012, 2014), and he won the FAC (Fighting Alliance Championship) featherweight title in the Midwest MMA circuit. In the UFC, he did not capture any belts, but earning a second UFC contract in 2025 after two wins was a milestone.
Q: How much is Isaac Dulgarian worth?
There are no reliable estimates of Dulgarian’s net worth. As a developing UFC fighter, he earned only modest fight purses. In fact, no official fight payments have been publicly disclosed for him. Without endorsement deals or businesses reported, his income consisted of base pay from fights and small sponsorships. Given this, any net-worth figure is purely speculative.
Q: What happened in Dulgarian’s 2025 fight that triggered controversy?
At UFC Vegas 110 on Nov. 1, 2025, Dulgarian was upset by Yadier del Valle via a first-round rear-naked choke. The result was unexpected because Dulgarian had been a strong favorite, before the fight, sportsbooks had Dulgarian at -250 odds. However, large bets on del Valle caused Dulgarian’s odds to shorten dramatically. The suspicious shift prompted betting monitors to intervene. Though the UFC did not explicitly accuse Dulgarian of wrongdoing, the abnormal betting activity around his bout led to his immediate release and an ongoing review.
Q: Where is Isaac Dulgarian from, and what’s his background?
Dulgarian hails from Kansas. He was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, and raised in the Kansas City area. His athletic background is in wrestling – he was a champion at St. Thomas Aquinas High School (a powerhouse program) and went on to wrestle in college (earning All-American honors at Notre Dame College). This wrestling pedigree is the bedrock of his MMA style. Dulgarian began training in mixed martial arts after college and eventually climbed the regional ranks to join the UFC.
Q: Does Isaac Dulgarian have any known issues outside of fighting?
Apart from the 2025 betting investigation, Dulgarian has kept a clean off-cage record. There are no reports of arrests, suspensions for substance abuse, or public scandals before the betting incident. He has not been involved in any known controversies outside of his fighting career. The only public issues have been limited to the arena (injuries that led to fight cancellations) or the one betting controversy that led to his UFC release.
Q: What are Isaac Dulgarian’s plans after being released?
As of late 2025, Dulgarian’s future is uncertain. The UFC has not provided details beyond his release, and Dulgarian himself has made no major public statements. In similar past situations, a fighter under suspicion might face a commission investigation; if cleared, he could sign with another promotion, but there are no official plans announced. Fans will be watching MMA news outlets for any updates on Dulgarian’s career prospects or legal clarifications.