1. Gerald Edward Meerschaert III was born on December 18,1987 and is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he holds the record for most finishes in middleweight history with 12.
Gerald Meerschaert began playing alto saxophone in the fifth grade and through his years at Walden III Middle and High School.
Gerald Meerschaert began training in MMA at the age of 19.
Gerald Meerschaert started traveling to nearby states to compete after 2012.
Gerald Meerschaert began his professional MMA career in March 2007, fighting at Freestyle Combat Challenge 26 on March 10, after just one month of training.
Gerald Meerschaert lost his first fight to Jay Ellis via a technical submission.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via rear-naked choke in round one.
On January 12,2008, Gerald Meerschaert faced Kenneth Allen and won via triangle choke in round one.
Five weeks later, Gerald Meerschaert stepped in the cage and competed against Caleb Krull.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via unanimous decision.
Gerald Meerschaert was back to the cage again four weeks later vs Alex Carter.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via triangle choke in round two.
Gerald Meerschaert's last fight in Freestyle Combat was on May 3,2008, vs Ryan Scheeper.
Gerald Meerschaert fought Kenny Robertson on Madtown Throwdown 19 and lost via a kneebar submission on round one.
Gerald Meerschaert started off by fighting on Gladiators Cage Fighting: Fair Warning on August 15,2009, his opponent was Jacob Kuester and Meerschaert managed to overpower Kuester and submitted him via a neck crank.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Eddie Larrea at Extreme Cagefigting Organisation 4 on March 20,2010.
Gerald Meerschaert punched his way through and knocked out Jim Klimczyk and snatched the win.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via guillotine choke on round two.
The next fight came 3 months later where Gerald Meerschaert took on Herbert Goodman, the former Green Bay Packers football player, defending his Wisconsin Middleweight title on Combat USA: Wisconsin State Finals.
Six months later, Gerald Meerschaert went on to join the Rogue Warrior Championship 3 competition on the welterweight fight on September 6,2011.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Eddie Larrea and won the fight via a rear-naked choke on round one.
Gerald Meerschaert did not return to the cage after he lost to Goodman until about one the half-year later when he went on to join the Rogue Warrior Championship 3 competition on the welterweight fight on September 6,2011.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Eddie Larrea and won the fight via a rear-naked choke on round one.
The second and the last fight Gerald Meerschaert take on for 2012 was on October 19.
Gerald Meerschaert was up against Sergej Juskevic at Score Fighting Series.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight on round two via kneebar submission.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight on round one via rear-naked choke.
Gerald Meerschaert next faced Jay Ellis on King of the Cage: Certified on April 20,2013, a catchweight bout.
Gerald Meerschaert bounced back from the last two defeat and captured the win with TKO in round one.
Gerald Meerschaert went to Duluth, Georgia, to compete on National Fighting Championships 58 on July 19,2013.
On September 13,2013, Gerald Meerschaert fought with Nathan Gunn in another catchweight fight.
Gerald Meerschaert managed to submit Gunn on round two with a guillotine choke on Canadian Fighting Championship 8 event.
Gerald Meerschaert moved up to Middleweight in 2014 and competed in North American Fighting Championship in two fights.
Gerald Meerschaert's last fight in 2014 was in September where he fought in KOTC: Magnum Force against Matt Lagou.
Gerald Meerschaert came out with a win via a TKO.
Gerald Meerschaert aced Keith Smetana at 4BC: Capital City Punishment in June 2015.
Gerald Meerschaert won a quick win via TKO in round one.
Gerald Meerschaert started his first fight in 2016 by moving up to Light Heavyweight division.
Gerald Meerschaert fought at Valor Fight 36 and his opponent was Sidney Wheeler.
Gerald Meerschaert threatened Wheeler with a kimura and forced him to tap out on round one.
Gerald Meerschaert's last fight before joining UFC was in October 2016, facing Chase Waldon in Resurrection Fighting Alliance in Middleweight bout.
Gerald Meerschaert earned the victory via submission on round one, earning him the RFA middleweight title.
Gerald Meerschaert made his promotional debut on December 9,2016, at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Abdurakhimov, replacing injured Oluwale Bamgbose, against Joe Gigliotti.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via anaconda choke submission in round one.
Gerald Meerschaert's performance earned him a Performance of the Night bonus award.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Ryan Janes on February 19,2017, at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs Browne.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via submission in the first round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Thiago Santos on July 8,2017, at UFC 213.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight via TKO in the second round.
Gerald Meerschaert fought Eric Spicely on December 1,2017, at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale.
Gerald Meerschaert won the bout via TKO in the second round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Oskar Piechota on July 6,2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via technical submission due to a rear-naked choke in the second round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Jack Hermansson on December 15,2018, at UFC on Fox 31.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight via guillotine choke submission in the first round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Kevin Holland on March 30,2019, at UFC on ESPN 2.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Trevin Giles on August 3,2019, at UFC on ESPN 5.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via technical submission in the third round due to a guillotine choke.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Eryk Anders on October 12,2019, at UFC Fight Night 161.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Deron Winn on March 7,2020, at UFC 248.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round.
Gerald Meerschaert was scheduled to face Ian Heinisch on June 6,2020, at UFC 250 two days before the fight Heinisch's cornerman tested positive for COVID-19.
Finally, Gerald Meerschaert faced Heinisch as scheduled and lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
Gerald Meerschaert was expected to face Ed Herman in a light heavyweight bout on August 1,2020, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs Shahbazyan.
However, Gerald Meerschaert again withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reason and he was replaced by John Allan.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Khamzat Chimaev on September 19,2020, at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs Woodley.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight via knockout 17 seconds into round one.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Bartosz Fabinski on April 17,2021, at UFC on ESPN 22.
Gerald Meerschaert won the fight via technical submission in round one.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Makhmud Muradov on August 28,2021, at UFC on ESPN 30.
Gerald Meerschaert was scheduled to face Abusupiyan Magomedov on December 18,2021, at UFC Fight Night 199.
Gerald Meerschaert won the bout via rear-naked choke in the third round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Krzysztof Jotko on April 30,2022, at UFC on ESPN 35.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Bruno Silva on August 13,2022, at UFC on ESPN 41 He won the fight via a guillotine choke in round three.
Gerald Meerschaert was scheduled again to face Abusupiyan Magomedov on February 18,2023, at UFC Fight Night 219.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Joe Pyfer on April 8,2023, at UFC 287.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the bout via TKO in the first round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Andre Petroski on August 19,2023, at UFC 292.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Bryan Barberena on March 16,2024, at UFC Fight Night 239.
Gerald Meerschaert won the bout by a rear-naked choke submission at the end of the second round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Edmen Shahbazyan on August 24,2024, at UFC on ESPN 62.
Gerald Meerschaert faced former ONE Light Heavyweight and Middleweight World Champion Reinier de Ridder on November 9,2024 at UFC Fight Night 247.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the fight via an arm-triangle choke submission in the third round.
Gerald Meerschaert faced Brad Tavares on April 5,2025 at UFC on ESPN 65.
Gerald Meerschaert stepped in on less than a week's notice to compete against Joe Pyfer at Fury Pro Grappling 7 on May 27,2023.
Gerald Meerschaert competed against Craig Jones in the main event of Polaris 26 on November 4,2023.
Gerald Meerschaert lost the match by submission with a rear-naked choke.