UFC 315 was pretty entertaining all-around. But fans couldn’t help but notice that some fan-favorite UFC regulars were absent from the card. Although he was here for fight week, UFC CEO Dana White did not show up at the post-UFC 315 presser tonight. Fans suspect it was because the UFC CEO did not want to answer uncomfortable questions about Islam Makhachev‘s next fight and the International Fight Week headliner.

Instead, senior UFC executive Dave Shaw showed up at the presser, where he remained noncomittal on the subject. Joe Rogan was also absent from the commentary booth. And it wasn’t because he doesn’t travel overseas to call UFC cards anymore.

The JRE podcast host, of course, is overtly critical of Canada these days since he wasn’t a fan of certain aspects of the North American country’s government. “Wow, I won’t be there. I don’t go to Canada anymore. I’d rather go to Russia,” Rogan said on his podcast when told that UFC 315 will be held in Montreal, the capital of the French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec.

Another notable name that was absent from UFC 315 was Meghan Olivi, who usually does the backstage interviews and serves as the Octagon-side reporter. But it wasn’t because she hates Canada or doesn’t want to answer questions from the media. A fan asked on X, “Where is @MeganOlivi ?!? #UFC315,” which prompted the UFC reporter to answer the fan directly.“My doctors don’t want me flying in this third trimester. Gotta keep baby boy safe 💙,” she wrote.

Olivi is married to former UFC star Joseph Benavidez, and as you can tell from her X post, is pregnant with their first child, a son, whom they are expecting to be born in the next couple of months. And since her doctor has advised her against flying when she is so far along, Olivi chose to give UFC 315 a miss, even as the card has far-reaching consequences for the lightweight and welterweight divisions of the UFC.

Fans waiting for Dana White to announce Makhachev’s next move and UFC 317 main event

To be fair to Dana White, the questions he is looking to avoid are pretty complicated. Islam Makhachev has confirmed that he will be moving up to 170 and fighting Jack Della Maddalena for the title there since his friend Belal Muhammad no longer holds the title. ‘JDM’ has already welcomed the “beautiful challenge” Makhachev poses, so that fight seems like its done.

But since nothing is official yet, and the UFC and Makhachev will have to work on the details, it is understandable why the UFC CEO skipped the post-UFC 315 presser. Not to mention the other moving part of the equation—now that Makhachev is moving up, Ilia Topuria will not be fighting the Dagestani for the lightweight title at UFC 317.

Instead, he will fight former champion Charles Oliveira for the interim title (since Makhachev intends to keep his lightweight belt) on the International Fight Week card in late June. So exciting times for the UFC and its fanbase. But at the moment, until there is an official announcement from Dana White and Co., all these fixtures are hypothetical. What do you think about Dana White’s absence from the UFC 315 post-fight presser?