Christopher Ewert was removed from the UFC roster before he even had the chance to step onto the scale at UFC 317.
He was initially scheduled to face fellow newcomer Jackson McVey on Saturday. However, as the official weigh-ins were about to commence on Friday, commentator Jon Anik announced that the middleweight bout had been cancelled because Ewert failed to make weight, and subsequently, the fighter was released from his contract.
Following the news of Ewert`s removal, his coach, Javier Torres, provided a statement to MMA Fighting regarding the challenging situation.
Torres stressed the immense effort involved in the weight cutting process. “People don’t understand how much we tried,” he stated, explaining they began the cut from 216 pounds. He noted that Ewert weighed 216 pounds upon arriving in Las Vegas.
He detailed the difficult travel and fight week schedule. Their flight from Phoenix was delayed, pushing their arrival in Vegas to 1 p.m. Mandatory media duties and obligations for the UFC followed, leaving only a narrow window from 4-6 p.m. for an initial weight cut session involving a 30-minute run, pads, mitts, sauna, and a `mummy` wrap.
Torres explained that the primary push to reach the middleweight limit (185 lbs) started between 6 and 7 p.m. on Thursday. They underwent multiple rounds of procedures, successfully getting Ewert down to 197.3 pounds by around 1 a.m. Unfortunately, about 90 minutes later, Ewert started experiencing small cramps. Despite attempting further steps with baths and wraps, his weight only dropped marginally to 197 pounds on the next check.
Torres revealed that upon accepting the fight, particularly on short notice (less than a week), they had hoped the contest would be set at a catchweight.
He confirmed they had requested a 195-pound catchweight to their UFC contact (“business partner”) as early as Tuesday, consistently pushing for that limit.
Torres recounted a 4 a.m. conversation with UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, where he informed him of Ewert`s condition and cramping. Ewert struggled significantly and couldn`t get proper rest. Cutting procedures resumed at 7:15 a.m., including running and pad work in a sauna suit, using the sauna, and another mummy wrap session, continuing until 9:30 a.m.
Torres concluded by reiterating the team`s dedication. “We did try super f*cking hard,” he stated, adding that they managed to cut a total of 22 pounds between Wednesday and Friday morning.
Wesley Dunham