Contender Series veteran Henrique earns surprise UFC debut at UFC 330 after Ochoa injury

Eduardo Henrique will make his UFC debut at UFC 330 after Jose Ochoa was ruled out with an injury, leaving Charles Johnson without an opponent days before their scheduled flyweight bout at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The promotion moved quickly to secure Henrique as a late replacement.

Henrique arrives with a 15-2 professional record and a résumé that includes a stint on Season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter and a decision win over An Tuan Ho on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2025. That victory, while enough to earn him recognition as a former Legacy Fighting Alliance flyweight champion, did not immediately land him a UFC contract — making his call-up now something of a second chance at the Octagon door.

The Brazilian has been out of action for nearly nine months, so the short-notice assignment doubles as both a debut and a return from an extended layoff. Despite the rust concerns, the opportunity is a significant one: UFC 330 is a 12-fight card headlined by two title fights.

Johnson (19-9) enters the bout as the UFC’s most active fighter in 2026, averaging a bout every 98 days. His fourth Octagon appearance of the year comes off a loss to Asu Almabayev in June, and he will now face an opponent with considerably more to prove and considerably less to lose.

For Henrique, the circumstances are familiar territory in MMA — a door closes for one fighter and swings open for another. Whether he can capitalise on the opportunity against one of the division’s busiest competitors will be the story to watch when UFC 330 takes place on 15 August.