The No. 12-ranked Carlos Junior is that opponent, and even with the Brazilian sporting a five-fight winning streak that includes four submissions, Heinisch couldn’t be more excited to match wits and fists with “Cara de Sapato.”
“I see a great matchup for me,” he said. “I see him as a stepping stone in my future, and I like guys who come forward and I like guys who want to try and grapple with me. That lets me strike, that lets me mix things up and I’m not going to have to chase him, like I kind of did with Cezar, because he’s gonna come forward hard. So I love this matchup. It’s a dream matchup for me. I know he’s a tough dude, he’s gonna want to take me down, pressure and get my back, but it’s gonna be a long night for him to try to do that. I’m gonna hit him with some hard shots.”
And Heinisch isn’t worried about a replay of the whole Breese situation.
“I feel like that was such an unusual thing, and it’s always going to be in the back of my mind, but I can’t think like that,” he said. “I’ve got to think of a positive outcome of my opponent showing up, me taking care of business and finishing him, so I’m not concerned about that. I’m controlling what I can – I’m planning and training for this guy, I’ll be there, I’ll make weight and I’ll be there on fight day, so that’s all I can control.”
