UFC Flyweight Edgar Chairez Admits He Had a Friend Bet on Him and Lost $7,000
A resurfaced interview has Chairez casually explaining how he wagered on himself through a friend's account before UFC Mexico City.
Edgar Chairez might have a problem, and it is not his opponents.
A four-month-old interview with the UFC flyweight has resurfaced in which "Puro Chicali" casually admits to placing bets on himself through a friend's account, a clear violation of the UFC's betting policy.
"I don't have a problem myself because I haven't put any money into an account directly," Chairez said in the interview, per MMA Mania. "I always tell a friend, 'Hey, put this in your account for me.' This time, I lost about 145,000 pesos, that's around $7,000. See, I placed a parlay, and I bet that I would finish. That was the problem."
The fight in question was Chairez's bout against Felipe Bunes at UFC Mexico City on February 28, 2026, at Arena CDMX. Chairez won the fight by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29), but because he failed to get the finish, the parlay lost.
The UFC banned all contracted athletes from wagering on any UFC fight, including their own, effective October 2022. The policy explicitly prohibits indirect betting through third parties, which is exactly what Chairez described.
The promotion has not publicly responded to the resurfaced clip. In the past, the UFC has suspended and even released fighters for betting violations.
What makes this case unusual is the sheer openness of the admission. Chairez did not appear to realize he was describing a policy violation, treating the whole thing like a bad beat story rather than a confession.
This is one of those stories where you have to read it twice to make sure you are not imagining things. Chairez went on camera and essentially said, "Yeah, I have my buddy place bets for me all the time," like it was the most normal thing in the world. Brother, the UFC has a whole policy about this.
I am not going to pretend fighters betting on themselves is shocking. Everyone in combat sports knows it happens. But most guys have the sense to keep quiet about it. Chairez not only admitted it, he gave the exact dollar amount, the type of bet, and the method he uses to get around the rules. On camera.
The UFC is going to have to do something here. They cannot let this slide when the clip is public and the admission is that detailed. Whether it is a fine, a suspension, or worse, the precedent has already been set with past cases. Chairez won the fight, lost the parlay, and now he might lose a lot more.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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