UFC middleweight Ian Heinisch is on the fast track following a win over Antonio Carlos Junior earlier this month.
Heinisch (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) today announced he will fight octagon veteran Derek Brunson (19-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at August’s UFC 241 event (via Instagram):
UFC 241 takes place Aug. 17 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected for ESPN and ESPN+.
Heinisch picked up his fifth straight win after rallying from early submission trouble to outpoint Carlos Junior. The bout was not without controversy – both fighters committed fouls over the three-round bout. Junior complained the infractions and ref’s lack of enforcement cost him the fight, but Heinisch countered that he broke his opponent mentally.
After a rocky stretch, Brunson rebounded earlier this month with a decision win over Elias Theodorou, who was widely criticized for his lack of engagement and later released by the promotion. For Brunson, it was a much-needed reversal after a 2-4 run that sapped his push for a title.
Both interim champ Israel Adesanya and champ Robert Whittaker have beaten Brunson in the octagon, so it remains to be seen whether his upside is as strong as Heinisch. The winner should nevertheless advance in the 185-pound division.
The latest UFC 241 lineup now includes:
- Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic – for heavyweight title
- Nate Diaz vs. Anthony Pettis
- Paulo Costa vs. Yoel Romero
- Raphael Assuncao vs. Cory Sandhagen
- Derek Brunson vs. Ian Heinisch
For more on UFC 241, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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