One day after the UFC announced the headliner for UFC Rochester, another major bout has been added to the May 18th event, when #12-ranked Antonio Carlos Junior takes on Ian Heinisch, as originally reported by Combate. At this stage, the fights are verbally agreed upon, but the contracts are yet to be signed.
Ian Heinisch was supposed to compete last weekend at UFC London, however Tom Breese pulled out of the fight on the day of the event for undisclosed reasons. Perhaps part of the reason Heinisch will now draw a ranked opponent is due to a sense of obligation on the part of the UFC to make things right for Heinisch, who made the trip to London, cut the weight, and physically and mentally prepared for battle only to return home fightless.
An alum of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, Heinisch earned his contract after an impressive showing on the program, knocking out Justin Sumter in the very first round. Heinisch would then go on to win his UFC debut over Cezar Ferreira last November. Heinisch is currently 11-1 in his MMA career.
Antonio Carlos Junior is currently on a five-fight winning streak and will prove to be a tough test as well as a true barometer for the young Heinisch. Not unlike Heinisch, Carlos Junior also earned his spot on the UFC roster through original programming, as the winner of the third season of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil. In Carlos Junior’s most recent bout, he defeated veteran Tim Boetsch via first-round submission last April.
UFC Rochester takes place May 18th from the Blue Cross Arena and will be headlined by Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kevin Lee.
With the addition of this middleweight scrap, here is the updated lineup for UFC Rochester:
Main Event: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Kevin Lee
Sijara Eubanks vs. Aspen Ladd
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Ian Heinisch
Zak Cummings vs. Trevin Giles
Grant Dawson vs. Mike Trizan
Patrick Cummins vs. Ed Herman
Whom do you believe will emerge victorious from this middleweight bout? Antonio Carlos Junior or Ian Heinisch?
