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Unfortunately for Ian Heinisch, it looks like even if he didn’t test positive for the coronavirus, he still won’t be competing at UFC 250, as a safety precaution.
Unfortunately for Ian Heinisch, it looks like the UFC and the NSAC are taking a firm hand regarding their coronavirus testing and isolation of fighters and their teams. MMA Fighting initially reported that Heinisch had been removed from Saturday’s UFC 250 fight card, for undisclosed reasons. TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter now reports that it appears one of Heinisch’s corner team has tested positive for COVID-19. As a precaution, Heinisch has therefore been removed from the event.
His opponent, Gerald Meerschaert, is still expecting to make the walk to the Octagon on fight night, however. Despite just two days notice for a new opponent.
Combate’s Raphael Marinho reports that the man across the Octagon from ‘GM3’ when the cage door closes will be UFC newcomer Anthony Ivy. ‘Aquaman’ fights out of Brazilian Top Team Texas, and has competed for Bellator, and LFA in the past. He’s currently riding a five fight winning streak, stretching back to 2017. Meerschaert will likely represent a major step forward for the 30-year-old, and an especially difficult first fight in the UFC with so little time to prepare. However, Ivy had apparently been set to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series this summer before the COVID-19 pandemic changed the UFC’s scheduling plans.
Meerschaert is coming off an upset victory over Deron Winn at UFC 248 back in March. That fight came on the heels of a controversial split decision loss to Eryk Anders in October of last year.
Apart from the main event women’s featherweight title fight, between Amanda Nunes and Felicia Spencer, UFC 250 is set to feature a pair of bantamweight top contender bouts. Raphael Assuncao will be taking on Cody Garbrandt in the co-main event, and Aljamain Sterling fights Cory Sandhagen. Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for more news and updates as fight night approaches.