Rivalries: Gerald Meerschaert

Gerald Meerschaert competes with the kind of verve only a battle-tested 53-fight journeyman can know.

The well-traveled Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight veteran will toe the line against Edmen Shahbazyan in a three-round UFC on ESPN 62 attraction this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Meerschaert, who turns 37 in December, has accomplished much and seen even more in over the course of his 17-year career. The Kill Cliff Fight Club product owns an 11-9 record across 20 appearances in the UFC, his run highlighted by submission victories against former M-1 Global champion Bruno Silva and onetime Cage Warriors Fighting Championship titleholder Oskar Piechota.

As Meerschaert approaches his upcoming clash with Shahbazyan at 185 pounds, a look at a few of the rivalries that have helped chart his course:

Chase Waldon

Meerschaert laid claim to the vacant Resurrection Fighting Alliance middleweight crown when he disposed of the Spartan Martial Arts rep with an arm-triangle in the first round of their RFA 45 main event on Oct. 28, 2016 at the Mystic Lake Hotel Casino in Mystic Lake, Minnesota. Waldron checked out 1:44 into Round 1. Meerschaert established his superiority inside the first 30 seconds, as he staggered his counterpart with an overhand left and executed a takedown. Though he returned to an upright position, Waldron slipped on a kick and allowed the Racine, Wisconsin, native to plow into top position. Meerschaert progressed through the guard, framed the arm-triangle and prompted the tapout. It was his final appearance before signing with the UFC.

Thiago Santos

The American Top Team export put away Meerschaert with punches in the second round of their UFC 213 middleweight prelim on July 8, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The end came 2:04 into Round 2. Santos handled some early adversity, including a nasty horizontal gash to the side of his head, and let his fists and feet do the rest. He had Meerschaert in survival mode in the first round and continued his assault in the second. There, Santos countered a takedown attempt with a sprawl and crushing hammerfists, moved to the top ride position and then powered into half guard. Meerschaert offered brief resistance before settling in the fetal position, where he was met with unabated hammerfists until referee Marc Goddard had seen enough. The setback was his first in more than seven years and halted a career-best seven-fight winning streak.

Khamzat Chimaev

The undefeated Allstars Training Center prospect knocked out Meerschaert with a devastating right cross in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 178 middleweight showcase on Sept. 19, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It was over in just 17 seconds and remains the fourth-fastest finish in the history of the UFC’s 185-pound weight class. Chimaev marched down the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, fired a body kick and corralled him along the fence. As soon as Meerschaert’s feet stopped moving, he was met with a brutal shot to the jaw that found the off switch. Chimaev managed to get off a few more punches on his unconscious adversary before referee Mark Smith could arrive on the scene.

Bryan Barberena

Meerschaert put the John Crouch protégé to sleep with a face crank in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 239 middleweight feature on March 16, 2024 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. A five-time “Fight of the Night” bonus winner, Barberena lost consciousness 4:23 into Round 2. Operating in the shadows of the Tai Tuivasa-Marcin Tybura headliner, Meerschaert secured multiple takedowns, advanced position without much resistance and controlled the flow of action with superior grappling. He grounded Barberena midway through the middle stanza, progressed to the back and bit down on the face crank. From there, Meerschaert tightened the vice until his counterpart blacked out. Barberena was released by the UFC five days later.