Middleweights
Reinier de Ridder (17-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (37-17, 12-9 UFC)ODDS: de Ridder (-290), Meerschaert (+235)
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Meerschaert took the long road to the UFC roster, as he had over 30 fights under his belt ahead of his getting signed in 2016. “GM3” has kept up that active schedule since—this now marks trip No. 22 to the Octagon for Meerschaert—and he has carved out a niche as a perennial underdog who still manages to win more often than he loses. Meerschaert is among the worst natural athletes in the division, but opponents still typically need to leverage that advantage into an outright knockout to walk away with an easy night. Meerschaert has made a career out of staging comebacks, often while dragging opponents to the mat to score the finish with a well-practiced grappling game. There are a lot of potential pitfalls for de Ridder, as Meerschaert might be too crafty on the mat to run through quickly and this cut to 185 pounds could affect the UFC newcomer’s gas tank. Still, the lean is that he can still control most of this fight and stave off a potential comeback, even if it might not be pretty. The pick is de Ridder via decision.
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