LAS VEGAS – Gerald Meerschaert hasn’t held a UFC title. He hasn’t fought for one, either. But he’s found a way to make his mark on the UFC record books.
Saturday at UFC Fight Night 239 at the UFC Apex, Meerschaert (35-17 MMA, 10-9 UFC) defeated Bryan Barberena (18-11 MMA, 9-9 UFC) by submission. The finish tied Anderson Silva’s all-time middleweight record at 11. He already held, but extended, the division’s all-time submission record.
“That’s pretty cool,” Meerschaert told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I’ve got the most submissions at middleweight. I think I would’ve bumped another spot all-time to like fourth or fifth or something of most submissions at any weight and then tying Anderson Silva, that’s awesome. And I still have all my wins by finish in the UFC. It’s over 10 wins and that’s pretty nuts.”
Meerschaert has 52 professional fights with 19 in the UFC. Only seven of his fights have gone to the decision. He has 34 finishes, and has been finished 12 times, making him truly a “do or die” fighter.
“Pretty much,” Meerschaert said of that categorization. “If you watch my fights, that’s generally how it goes. It’s not just submissions, either. This is probably one of the few times that I went out there and just straight grappled somebody, put them in a bad spot, and choked them. Usually, we get in a standup battle, or I punch them in the face a lot first, which makes choking them a lot easier.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 239.
