Christopher Ewert was released from the UFC before his debut at UFC 317 due to weight issues, despite his team’s intensive efforts to cut 22 pounds in a short time, and their request for a catchweight fight.
Christopher Ewert got cut by the UFC before even stepping on the scale at UFC 317. He was set to face newcomer Jackson McVey this Saturday.
As the official weigh-ins began, Jon Anik announced the middleweight fight was canceled. Ewert had weight issues, leading to his release from the contract.
Ewert’s coach, Javier Torres, shared insights with MMA Fighting. “People don’t understand how much we tried,” Torres said, revealing they started the cut at 216 pounds.
When they arrived in Vegas, Ewert weighed 216. By Friday morning, he was down to 195. They got the fight call on Tuesday afternoon.
Their flight from Phoenix was delayed, arriving in Vegas at 1 p.m. After media obligations, they had a short window from 4-6 p.m. for a quick cut—running, pads, sauna, and “mummy.”
They resumed cutting weight Thursday evening, reaching 197.3 pounds by 1 a.m. Ewert started cramping after another bath and mummy wrap, dropping only to 197.
Initially, they hoped for a catchweight fight, given the short notice. “We always said 195,” Torres mentioned.
Torres spoke with Mick Maynard at 4 a.m., explaining Ewert’s cramps and sleeplessness. They continued cutting weight early in the morning, using a sauna suit and mummy wraps.
“We tried super f*cking hard,” Torres emphasized, noting they cut 22 pounds from Wednesday to Friday morning.
Update: MMA Fighting had an exclusive interview with Ewert on Friday night. Check it out above.