Donald Cerrone (pictured) wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted to get back in the octagon ASAP. Just two days after beating Myles Jury at UFC 182, Cerrone has agreed to serve as a last-second substitute to meet Benson Henderson in Boston.
UFC president Dana White announced via Twitter the lightweights will co-headline the January 18 event.
Henderson was originally slated to face Eddie Alvarez in Beantown, but an undisclosed reason has forced the former Bellator champion out of the shootout.
This marks the third time Cerrone and Henderson have squared off. Henderson is up 2-0. He posted a decision win in 2009, then followed up with a submission victory in their 2010 rematch.
Cerrone is one of the division’s hottest fighters having won six straight scraps. He posted a unanimous decision victory over Alvarez in September prior to dominating Jury.
Henderson, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from August’s knocked loss to Rafael dos Anjos. “Smooth” had won two straight prior to the devastating defeat.
TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts hosts the festivities.
Fox Sports 1 broadcasts the main card live starting at 10PM ET/7PM PT.
Here is the show’s revised agenda:
Preliminary Card:
(UFC Fight Pass 6PM ET/3PM PT)
Tateki Matsuda vs. Joby Sanchez
Matt Van Buren vs. Sean O’Connell
(Fox Sports 1 7PM ET/4PM PT)
Charles Rosa vs. Sean Soriano
Frankie Perez vs. Johnny Case
Patrick Holohan vs. Shane Howell
Zhang Lipeng vs. Chris Wade
Lorenz Larkin vs. John Howard
Cathal Pendred vs. Sean Spencer
Main Card:
(Fox Sports 1 10PM ET/7PM PT)
Gleison Tibau vs. Norman Parke
Uriah Hall vs. Louis Taylor
Benson Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone
Dennis Siver vs. Conor McGregor