With Heath Herring’s recent withdrawal from UFC 99 due to illness, the UFC has officially announced that Cheick Kongo will step in and fight Cain Velasquez in Herring’s place.

Kongo last fought at UFC 97 where he easily defeated Antoni Hardonk in the second round.

Velasquez, a rising star in the UFC heavyweight division, last fought at UFC Fight Night 17 where he defeated Denis Stojnic in the second round.

Both Kongo and Velasquez are top contenders in the division and a win for either man could make him next in line for a shot at the UFC heavyweight title.

UFC 99 is currently scheduled for June 13 in Cologne, Germany, and will be headlined by a catchweight fight between Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva.