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Ian Heinisch is ready to take the next step in his UFC career and that starts with a main card clash with rising contender Brendan Allen later tonight (Sat., Nov. 7, 2020) at UFC Vegas 13 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. After that, Heinisch is hoping to earn a matchup with rising sensation Khamzat Chimaev.
Heinisch, who earned his way onto the UFC roster with a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series, is coming off a first-round knockout win over Gerald Meerschaert back in June. The victory snapped a two-fight UFC losing streak for the middleweight contender and set him up for his matchup with Allen, who has won his last seven fights.
While Heinisch should be putting all of his focus and energy into his bout with Allen this weekend in “Sin City” the middleweight fighter is also thinking about a potential matchup with Chimaev. After all, Chimaev has quickly turned into one of the most talked about fighters in the sport and a guy who is continuously calling opponents out, both in the UFC’s welterweight and middleweight divisions.
“What has been upsetting is Khamzat is saying no one wants to fight him. I know I have a fight on the books but double-book me,” Heinisch told Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “All these rules are being bent with COVID, and Neil Magny and I were calling him out. If he wants it at 185, I’m right here. I’m a ranked opponent and I’m ready to fight whenever.”
Chimaev is already scheduled for a massive fight against welterweight contender Leon Edwards on Dec. 19 but that wouldn’t stop “Borz” from taking a crack at middleweight in early 2021. After all, Chimaev has already fought three times in UFC dating back to his debut this past July.
Heinisch will certainly need to produce a memorable victory over Allen at UFC Vegas 13 to earn a potential clash with Chimaev at 185 pounds, but the former LFA standout is up for the challenge.
“He knocked out Meerschaert like a minute faster than me. Khamzat is good man, he is tough and has the right mentality, and is a game opponent. I think it would be a fun matchup,” Heinisch said. “I will meet in the middle and we are going to fight for real. If he wants to test himself against a middleweight, I’m a top-15 guy and I’ll make myself available. I’ll be ready if they call me and say I will fight him tomorrow. I just want people to know, if Khamzat wants to fight, I would love to accept the challenge.”
Heinisch, 32, has produced a 3-2 record inside of the Octagon since his arrival in 2018. His two defeats came against wrestlers Derek Brunson and Omari Akhmedov, leaving fight fans to believe he may have some trouble with Chimaev’s grappling if the two ever locked horns.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 13 fight card this weekend RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ and ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET.