Tag: Gerald Meerschaert

UFC Fight Night 247 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $30 million

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out more than $30 million to athletes since its deal began with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 247 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $188,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 247 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 247 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gaston Bolanos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Cortavious Romious[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Gillian Robertson[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Luana Pinheiro[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Mansur Abdul-Malik[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Denise Gomes[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Karolina Kowalkiewicz[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Zach Scroggin[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Charlie Radtke[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Matthew Semelsberger[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Da’Mon Blackshear[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Tresean Gore[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Antonio Trocoli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Melissa Mullins[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Klaudia Sygula[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2471 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,281,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $30,018,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 247.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 247

Reinier de Ridder is well accomplished outside of the UFC. How will he fare in his debut against Gerald Meerschaert?

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] and [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 247 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 1-3
UFC main cards, 2024: 91-88-3

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder UFC Fight Night 247 preview

Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) brings his high-level submission game to the cage against a debuting opponent with a lot of promise. Entering on the heels of back-to-back submissions of Bryan Barberena and Edmen Shahbazyan, “GM3” will look to extend his winning streak to three, matching his previous UFC high. … Former ONE Championship two-division titleholder De Ridder (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) debuts after a July first-round finish of Magomedmurad Khasaev under the UAE Warriors banner. In ONE Championship, de Ridder won the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, recording two defenses of the 205-pound title.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder UFC Fight Night 247 expert pick, prediction

Serving as one of the few points of interest on this card is a middleweight matchup between UFC stalwart Meerschaert and newcomer de Ridder.

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu who comes from a judo base, de Ridder has achieved titles in ONE Championship’s middleweight and light heavyweight divisions through his standout submission savvy.

That said, Meerschaert, who holds the most submission wins in UFC middleweight history, presents an interesting test for the Dutch debutant.

Although Meerschaert technically stands at 2-4 opposite UFC-level southpaws (though that stat could easily read 3-3 if his fight with Eryk Anders was adjudicated correctly), “GM3” – despite his speed and size – appears to be the more skilled striker of the two.

I could certainly see a competitive grappling fight that favors de Ridder if he can both successfully takedown and scramble with Meerschaert, but I still have a hard time going against the more proven product in this spot.

I’ll take Meerschaert to give de Ridder a luke-warm welcoming that’s reminiscent of Tim Boetch’s win over a debuting Hector Lombard.

The pick is Meerschaert by unanimous decision.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder UFC Fight Night 247 odds

The oddsmakers and public favor the Dutch fighter, listing de Ridder -310 and Meerschaert +240 via FanDuel.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Reinier de Ridder UFC Fight Night 247 start time, how to watch

As the co-main event, Meerschaert and de Ridder are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:35 p.m. ET (5:35 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 247.

Gerald Meerschaert aims to spoil Reinier de Ridder’s debut at UFC Fight Night 247

Although he’s had 21 UFC fights, Gerald Meerschaert didn’t hesitate when he drew promotional newcomer Reinier de Ridder at UFC Vegas 100.

LAS VEGAS – Although he’s had 21 fights in the UFC, [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] didn’t hesitate when he got the call to fight promotional newcomer Reinier de Ridder at UFC Fight Night 247.

De Ridder (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) isn’t any ordinary debuting fight. He’s a former two-division titleholder with ONE Championship, and was a celebrated free agent signing by the matchmakers, who wasted no time throwing him in the deep end against middleweight finishes record holder Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) on Saturday’s card at the UFC Apex (ESPN+).

“I think it’s a good thing,” Meerschaert told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 247 media day. “I think a lot more people know about de Ridder than maybe some of the people who only follow UFC give him credit for. He’s tough. Had a lot of belts in ONE FC, so that’s nothing to shake your head at. It’s fun to be the one to welcome in somebody who was a double champ in a different organization because I think it says a lot about me if I can go out and get that finish on Saturday.”

With back-to-back wins on his resume, Meerschaert is enjoying the current state of his career. Like most fighters, his goal is to move up the rankings and into more relevant matchups. He’s not sure how much beating de Ridder will help with the former, but he said he will be demanding the latter if he gets his hand raised.

“I think a win over de Ridder, if I win impressively enough, I think it could put me at No. 15 (in UFC’s official rankings), but it definitely puts me in the conversation for fighting ranked guys,” Meerschaert said. “Absolutely. That’s what I’m looking forward to. Win on Saturday, I would like to fight someone ranked or just give me somebody that has a decent name on a big card. Fighting somebody high in the ranking is important, but getting eyeballs on you having great performances is just as, if not more so important.”

Meerschaert admitted he’s as curious as anyone to see what de Ridder is capable of at the UFC level, especially given his strong grappling skills. Meerschaert owns the most submission victories in the history of UFC’s 185-pound weight class, so the matchup on the mat is one he is keen to dive into.

“I expect him to be at his best and he’s a very, very good grappler,” Meerschaert said. “Especially straight jiu-jitsu style grappling, he’s one of the last guys that really goes out there and implements that in his game plan. He’s definitely more in the style of a Gunnar Nelson or Demian Maia, and he’s just as dangerous as either one of those guys.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 247.

Reinier de Ridder books UFC debut fight vs. Gerald Meerschaert for November at Apex

Reinier de Ridder won’t make his UFC debut against a ranked opponent, but he isn’t facing a slouch, either.

[autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] won’t make his UFC debut against a ranked opponent, but he also isn’t facing a slouch.

News surfaced Tuesday that De Ridder, a former ONE Championship two-division titleholder, signed with the UFC and on Wednesday it was revealed that he will face [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] in a middleweight bout at a UFC Fight Night event Nov. 9 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie after it was initially reported by UFC op Eurosport on Instagram.

De Ridder (17-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 34, previously held the ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight titles. In nine fights with ONE, de Ridder was victorious in his first seven before losing both of his title belts to Anatoly Malykhin in back-to-back fights. The Dutchman most recently competed for UAE Warriors in July and won by first-round TKO to snap his skid.

In Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC), de Ridder will face a savvy UFC veteran who most recently claimed the promotion record for finishes at middleweight. Last month, Meerschaert rallied to submit Edmen Shahbazyan for his 12th career finish at 185 pounds, which surpassed UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva. It was Meerschaert’s second submission win in a row.

With the addition, the Nov. 9 UFC Fight Night lineup includes:

  • Cody Garbrandt vs. Miles Johns
  • Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dusko Todorovic
  • Melissa Mullins vs. Montserrat Rendon
  • Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Trocoli
  • Bernardo Sopaj vs. Ricky Turcios
  • Denise Gomes vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
  • Reinier de Ridder vs. Gerald Meerschaert

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Gerald Meerschaert downplays breaking Anderson Silva’s middleweight finishes record at UFC on ESPN 62

“It’s a cool thing to say for now and then when I’m retired it’ll be fun to tell my kids and watch them not care.”

LAS VEGAS – When you think of the UFC middleweight division, you think of Anderson Silva. Why? Because the former longtime champion was the ultimate finisher during his Hall of Fame career.

Suffice to say, any fighter who breaks one of Silva’s records, those are bragging rights of the highest order. And yet for [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag], it’s no big deal – at least for now.

Meerschaert, a 36-year-old UFC veteran since 2016, made promotional history Saturday night as he submitted Edmen Shahbazyan in the second round at UFC on ESPN 62 in Las Vegas, surpassing Silva for most finishes in UFC middleweight history with 12.

“It’s cool to say. You know what I mean? I don’t think about it much right now. It’s just kind of one fight at a time,” Meerschaert told reporters, including MMA Junkie, after his win at the UFC Apex. “I wish I could give you more than that, because it is a cool thing. Truthfully, if I sit here and stop to give myself a little pat on the back, that’s awesome just to have my name in the same conversation or sentence as somebody like Anderson Silva or Demian Maia. That’s great, but I’ve got a lot of fight left in me. I’ve got a lot more fights to go. When I hang them up, though, that’ll be a cool thing to throw around. …

“It’s a cool thing to say for now and then when I’m retired it’ll be fun to tell my kids and watch them not care.”

Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) had to survive nearly being finished in the second round after Shahbazyan dropped him and pounced with dozens of punches to the head, many of them blocked by his arms. It was a dangerous sequence, but Meerschaert said he kept thinking it was great for him as he expected Shahbazyan to tire himself out. Sure enough, that’s what happened, which led Meerschaert locking in an arm-triangle choke for the finish at 4:12 of Round 2.

Was the finish how Meerschaert drew it up? Absolutely not.

“I’ve had cleaner performances. But what fun is it if you don’t get punched in the face a few times, right?” Meerschaert said, before adding. “As long as I’m awake, I’ve got a chance to win. I pretty much blocked everything and just had to weather the storm a little bit, found my way out. …

“I know if I’m still awake, there’s a way for me to win. You’ve got to put me 6 feet under before I’m gonna stop fighting.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

UFC on ESPN 62 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $28 million

The UFC has now paid athletes more than $28 million in Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay after UFC on ESPN 62.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $166,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC on ESPN 62 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC on ESPN 62 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Tabatha Ricci[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ryan Loder[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Robert Valentin[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Mairon Santos[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Kaan Ofli[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Francis Marshall[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Dennis Buzukja[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Zach Reese[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Jose Medina[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Viacheslav Borshchev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]James Llontop[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jacqueline Cavalcanti[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Josiane Nunes[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Victoria Leonardo[/autotag]: $4,500

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,620; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-62 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,324,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $28,061,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

UFC on ESPN 62 bonuses: Gerald Meerschaert’s come-from-behind, record-breaking finish earns him $50K

To go with his name in the UFC record book, Gerald Meerschaert also fattened his wallet at UFC on ESPN 62.

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card, including one for a submission that made some history.

After UFC on ESPN 62, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.

***

Fight of the Night: Caio Borralho vs Jared Cannonier

[autotag]Caio Borralho[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] put on one of the most entertaining fights of the year in the night’s headliner. Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) had to dig deep and nearly finished Cannonier  (17-8 MMA, 10-8 UFC) in the fifth round but ultimately won a unanimous decision that should place him right in the middle of title contention at middleweight.

Performance of the Night: Michael Morales

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 24: Michael Morales of Ecuador battles Neil Magny in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag] (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) passed the biggest test of his career with flying colors as he scored a ground-and-pound TKO win over Neil Magny late in the first round to remain undefeated.

Performance of the Night: Gerald Meerschaert

Not only did [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) stage a Comeback of the Year candidate, he made history when rallied to submit Edmen Shahbazyan. With the result, Meerschaert passed former champion and Hall of Famer Anderson Silva for the most finishes (12) in UFC middleweight history.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

UFC on ESPN 62 video: Gerald Meerschaert makes history with Comeback of the Year candidate

Gerald Meerschaert staged an incredible comeback to surpass Anderson Silva as the leading middleweight finisher in UFC history.

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] has a knack for the comeback, and he added an all-timer to his resume Saturday at UFC on ESPN 62.

On the main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) established himself as the middleweight division’s all-time finisher with 12, when he submitted [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) with an arm-triangle choke in come-from-behind fashion at 4:12 of Round 2.

Meerschaert was nearly finished in Round 2 as he absorbed dozens of blows to his head (with many more blocked by his arms) after Shahbazyan dropped him and pounced for the kill.

Shahbazyan appeared to slow following the elongated punching sequence and eventually Meerschaert worked his way to top position. From there, he locked in a choke and got the tap.

Meerschaert already held the division’s submission record entering the card. He’s now on a two-fight winning streak. Shahbazyan falls to 2-2 in his most recent four.

The up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 62 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC on ESPN 62

Will Edmen Shahbazyan overcome the veteran savvy of Gerald Meerschaert in the UFC on ESPN 62 main card opener?

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] and [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 62 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 1-4
UFC main cards, 2024: 70-61-3

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62 preview

Meerschaert (36-17 MMA, 11-9 UFC) has seen a thing or two over his 20 UFC appearances. He’s had his ups and downs over the years, but he enters this contest on the heels of a rear-naked choke submission of Bryan Barberena in March. Of his 11 UFC wins, 10 have come by submission. … Shahbazyan (13-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has grown up under the UFC banner, and had his growing pains. After winning his first four, he lost three straight. He’s now 2-1 over his last three bouts and is entering with the momentum of a first-round finish of AJ Dobson in March.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62 expert pick, prediction

Despite my initial urge to trash the UFC matchmakers for tripling up on middleweight offerings on the main card, I can’t hate on this 185-pound offering between Meerschaert and Shahbazyan.

Even though he’s undoubtedly experienced some growing pains, Shahbazyan has begun to once again show signs of light since shifting his training camp to Las Vegas. That said, I’m not sure if Shahabazyan has fully fixed some of his core issues regarding things like aggression and staying power.

Aside from the fact that stinging strikes proven to be a two-street in Shahbazyan fights, the Armenian-American sacrificed some key positions in both offensive and defensive efforts in his last outing opposite A.J. Dobson that would’ve cost him dearly against a grappler like Meershcaert.

Not only is Meerschaert tied with Anderson Silva for the most finishes in middleweight history, but “GM3” is also one of the best rear-naked choke artists regardless of weight class, making my top 10 rear-naked choke artists in MMA history.

Add in the fact that this fight will be taking place in the smaller octagon (which can lend a stylistic edge to superior grapplers), and I’ll happily take a flier on Meerschaert to survive an early storm and make some history with an “RNC” in Round 3.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62 odds

The oddsmakers and the public are siding with the younger man, listing Shahbazyan -300 and Meerschaert +235 via FanDuel.

Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62 start time, how to watch

As the main card opener, Meerschaert and Shahbazyan are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 10:05 p.m. ET. The fight will air on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

Edmen Shahbazyan excited for ‘finisher vs. finisher’ matchup vs. Gerald Meerschaert: ‘I’m ready for war’

Edmen Shahbazyan sees his fight with Gerald Meerschaert inevitably delivering.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] sees his fight with [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] inevitably delivering.

Shahbazyan (13-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) meets Meerschaert (36-17 MMA, 11-9 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 (ESPN/ESPN+) main card opener at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

On paper, Shahbazyan vs. Meerschaert could be viewed as a striker vs. grappler matchup. But with both fighters boasting a very high finish rate, Shahbazyan has a different label for their fight.

“I think it’s more finisher vs. finisher,” Shahbazyan said at Wednesday’s media day. “I think it makes for a very exciting fight. Training camp’s been amazing going off of the last one – skill building on the last one – so,it’s always been great. Now I’m ready.”

Shahbazyan has been criticized in the past for his cardio failing him in his three-fight losing skid to Derek Brunson, Jack Hermansson, and Nassourdine Imavov. Since then, he has won two of his past three, and dismissed that notion heading into this fight.

“I’m ready for war, I can tell you that,” Shahbazyan said. “I’m in prime shape. I’m in dog shape to be going all the way strong.”

Meerschaert has more than three times Shahbazyan’s experience, but the 26-year-old is ready to show that he can step up to the challenge.

“I know he’s a good fighter,” Shahbazyan said. “He’s had lots of fights in the UFC like myself – and yeah: finisher vs. finisher. It excites me. It’s an exciting fight, and these are the type of fights that really get me motivated to work even harder to show my skills against a guy like him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.