UFC executive shares inside scoop on Derrick Lewis' unexpected pullout from UFC Edmonton: "We just didn't have any answers"

UFC executive Dave Shaw gave an update on the circumstances that led to Derrick Lewis pulling out from UFC Edmonton after appearing at the official weigh-ins. Lewis, a fan-favorite fighter, was expected to fight Brazil's Jhonata Diniz on the main card of the Nov. 2 event. However, the fight could not come to fruition.

While speaking to members of MMA media at the UFC Edmonton post-fight press conference, Shaw explained:

"There is nothing to update beyond what the official release was. It was not a fight-related medical issue or not a weight-cut-related medical issue. The situation yesterday was all... It was all happening in real-time. So we didn't actually have enough answers at the time of ceremonial weigh-ins yesterday. He weighed in yesterday morning."

He added:

"He had to cut a little bit but it's not uncommon for him. And then, over the course of the afternoon, he started to get the medical treatment and we just didn't have any answers. So at that point, it made more sense for us to proceed with the weigh-ins with Diniz and try to figure out what was going on before making any decisions. But there is no substitute to taking the safe road when it comes to athlete health and safety. So it was the right decision to not compete."

Check out Dave Shaw's comments below (3:55):

Lewis last competed against Rodrigo Nascimento in May and emerged victorious with a third-round KO to get back in the win column. The UFC has not yet announced if the matchup against Diniz will be kept intact for another date. While Lewis was among the most popular fighters scheduled to compete at UFC Edmonton, the card produced several entertaining fights after his pullout.

In the main event, former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno put on a striking masterclass against Amir Albazi to pull off a unanimous decision victory. Meanwhile, four other fights ended in finishes (1 KO, 3 SUB).