Ian Heinisch vs. Gerald Meerschaert back on at UFC 250 after false positive COVID-19 test

UFC 250 reinstates Ian Heinisch vs. Gerald Meerschaert after a false positive coronavirus test.

[autotag]Ian Heinisch[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] is back on for UFC 250.

The middleweight bout was temporarily called off after one of Heinisch’s cornermen tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Saturday’s card. Anthony Ivy was pegged as a replacement to fight Meerschaert (31-12 MMA, 6-4 UFC).

However, further testing showed the initial test to be false – and Heinisch’s cornerman was cleared, people with the knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie on Thursday. The fight was reinstated, as a result. Ivy is expected to remain on the UFC roster, as MMA Fighting first reported.

After winning his first two UFC bouts, the Dana White’s Contender Series alum Heinisch (13-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has dropped two in a row to Derek Brunson and Omari Akhmedov. He recently revealed he signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC.

Meerschaert has won two of of his most recent three bouts. A Roufusport product, Meerschaert most recently defeated Deron Winn at UFC 248 in March.

With the change, the UFC 250 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer – for women’s featherweight title
  • Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Cory Sandhagen vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Neil Magny vs. Anthony Rocco Martin
  • Sean O’Malley vs. Eddie Wineland

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Alex Caceres vs. Chase Hooper
  • Anthony Ivy vs. Gerald Meerschaert
  • Brian Kelleher vs. Cody Stamann
  • Charles Byrd vs. Maki Pitolo

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Jussier Formiga vs. Alex Perez
  • Devin Clark vs. Alonzo Menifield
  • Herbert Burns vs. Evan Dunham

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