Gerald Meerschaert has bigger goals than records

LAS VEGAS – Gerald Meerschaert continues to be putting his targets on the highest echelon of the game going into his twenty third octagon look Saturday at UFC on ESPN 65

Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC) has had combined ends in his greater than eight-year run the promotion, as his file displays. There’s been excessive factors and low factors, however he has put collectively a notable profession, and presently holds the middleweight file for finishes and submission wins going into his upcoming matchup with fellow veteran Brad Tavares on the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+).

After shedding his earlier outing to debuting former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder in October, Meerschaert is relishing the matchup with Tavares, who has adopted the same path to him.

“I feel he’s the one man energetic proper now at middleweight that’s bought extra UFC fights than I do,” Meerschaert advised reporters, together with MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 64 media day. “It’s nice to struggle one other man that’s been round. He’s fought robust guys, he’s been in robust fights. It’s going to be quite a lot of enjoyable to determine fixing that puzzle on Saturday, and I couldn’t have extra respect for my opponent.”

At 37, it would appear to be the most effective performances of Meerschaert’s profession can be behind him. He disagrees, nevertheless, and thinks there’s quite a lot of tread remaining on his tires going into 56th skilled bout.

Meerschaert is life like to what the challenges of a title run would seem like at this stage, however stated it will be towards his ethical code towards the game to set the bar something decrease. If it doesn’t occur for him, although, he intends to maintain preventing, preserve successful and preserve placing his title highest within the UFC file books.

“It’s a far, far approach off however the belt is the aim of anyone within the UFC,” Meerschaert stated. “I’m an affordable particular person and I perceive that’s very far off within the distance and first I’ve bought to win a struggle, then I’ve bought win a pair fights in a row, after which take into consideration a ranked opponent and all that stuff. Aside from that, the submission file is cool, the end file is cool.

“Brad’s bought probably the most fights at middleweight. I don’t understand how lengthy he’s going to stay round, but when I may get that file, I feel that might be cool. Then see how shut I can get to that total submission file, too. Seeing how shut I can get to that’s one other one for me.”

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