On Gerald Meerschaert

Middleweight grapplers are poised to throw down, with Jacob Malkoun welcoming Gerald Meerschaert to "The Land Down Under. Gerald Meerschaert has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in New Zealand.

Key facts

• Middleweight grapplers are poised to throw down, with Jacob Malkoun welcoming Gerald Meerschaert to "The Land Down Under.
• Gerald Meerschaert: "GM3" makes the walk for what could be his final appearance in the UFC.
• Owner of the most submission victories in UFC middleweight history and a veteran of more than 50 professional fights, Gerald Meerschaert (37-21) is as battle-tested as they come at 185 pounds.
• Gerald Meerschaert is off to a rough start ahead of a crucial fight.
• Jacob Malkoun vs Gerald Meerschaert (Middleweight).

What we know

Going deeper, Gerald Meerschaert: "GM3" makes the walk for what could be his final appearance in the UFC.

On the substance, Owner of the most submission victories in UFC middleweight history and a veteran of more than 50 professional fights, Gerald Meerschaert (37-21) is as battle-tested as they come at 185 pounds.

Beyond the headlines, Gerald Meerschaert is off to a rough start ahead of a crucial fight.

More precisely, Jacob Malkoun vs Gerald Meerschaert (Middleweight).

It is worth noting that Meerschaert is currently on a four fight losing streak, with his record standing at just 3-7 across his last ten.

By the numbers

At this stage, the American’s recent fights against the likes of Kyle Daukaus and Michal Oleksiejczuk were the types of contest where the “GM3” of old would be favored to outlast his opposition and score a late finish, but Meerschaert looked nothing short of awful in both appearances.

On a related note, Even if Meerschaert’s chin wasn’t completely shot at this point in proceedings, Malkoun doesn’t even need to send “GM3” astral traveling in order to decisively win any sort of standup battle.

Going deeper, With Meerschaert coming in four pounds over the non-title limit, his bout with Malkoun proceeds at a catchweight with “GM3” forfeiting 30 percent of his purse as penalty.

On the substance, Meerschaert, 38, is badly in need of a win as he’s mired in a four-fight losing streak stretching back to August 2024.

The wider context

On a related note, Outside of Meerschaert, the 25 other fighters competing Saturday successfully made weight, including co-main event lightweights Beneil Dariush (156) and Quillan Salkilld (156).

Going deeper, his bout with Jacob Malkoun proceeds at a catchweight with Meerschaert forfeiting 30 percent of his purse as penalty.

On the substance, Meerschaert’s approach to his UFC fights has always been simple; absorb damage and wear his opponents out before roaring back to win with a late submission victory.

Beyond the headlines, while he’s been chinned on multiple occasions attempting to do so, Meerschaert has been remarkably successful following this blueprint throughout his career.

More precisely, I just can’t pick Meerschaert to win a fight anymore.

The bottom line

• The American’s recent fights against the likes of Kyle Daukaus and Michal Oleksiejczuk were the types of contest where the “GM3” of old would be favored to outlast his opposition and score a late finish, but Meerschaert looked nothing short of awful in both appearances.
• His bout with Jacob Malkoun proceeds at a catchweight with Meerschaert forfeiting 30 percent of his purse as penalty.
• While he’s been chinned on multiple occasions attempting to do so, Meerschaert has been remarkably successful following this blueprint throughout his career.