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Gerald MeerschaertAmerican mixed martial artist
Date of Birth: 18.12.1897
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Background
- Personal Life
- Mixed Martial Arts Career
- Rise and Redemption (2009-2010)
- Ups and Downs (2011-2015)
- Revival and RFA Title (2016)
- UFC Debut and Career (2016-Present)
- Achievements
- In his youth, he trained in taekwondo and jiu-jitsu.
Early Life and Background
Gerald Meerschaert was born on December 18, 1987, in Racine, Wisconsin, USA. His early life was spent away from professional sports, despite his involvement in various forms of wrestling. After attending Walden III Middle and High School, he initially planned on pursuing a college education in music, aspiring to become a music teacher. However, a televised MMA fight sparked a significant shift in his life's trajectory.
Personal Life
Meerschaert maintains a private personal life, rarely disclosing details about his relationship status. He occasionally showcases his musical abilities on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, where he posts videos of himself playing the instrument. He frequently shares photos from his training sessions, as well as childhood snapshots accompanied by heartfelt comments about his parents and younger brother, actor Jacob Cornwell.
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Early Years (2007-2011)In 2007, after a month of MMA training, Meerschaert made his professional debut at the Freestyle Combat Challenge. Despite losing his first matchup against Jay Ellis via technical submission, he quickly bounced back, securing two subsequent victories through a kimura (inverted double wristlock) and a rear-naked choke. In 2008, he continued his winning streak, defeating Kenneth Allen, Alex Carter, and Ryan Shipper. His success earned him a spot in the Madtown Throwdown promotion, where he faced a series of challenges, including a win over Mike Vaughn and two consecutive losses to Curtis Bailey and Kenny Robertson.
Rise and Redemption (2009-2010)
The period from 2009-2010 became a time of renewed confidence for Meerschaert. He emerged victorious in fights against Jacob Kester, Morrison Lamb, Jim Klimachek, and Sam Alvey, culminating in the Wisconsin State Middleweight Championship.
Ups and Downs (2011-2015)
While 2011 brought mixed results, including a win over Dallas O'Malley and a crushing loss to Herbert Goodman, the years 2012-2015 marked a challenging period. Meerschaert faced setbacks against Sergei Juskevich and Anthony Lapsley.
Revival and RFA Title (2016)
From 2016 onwards, Meerschaert began competing across multiple states. He enjoyed a successful streak in 2013 with victories over Jay Ellis, George Lockhart, and Nathan Gunn. The following years saw a mixture of wins and losses, including technical victories over Matt Lagler, Keith Smalley, and Lucas Rota. In 2016, Meerschaert claimed the RFA Middleweight Championship and earned a contract with the UFC.
UFC Debut and Career (2016-Present)
Meerschaert's UFC debut came on December 9, 2016, at UFC Fight Night. Stepping in as a replacement for the injured Olwale Bamgbose, he faced Joe Gigliotti and earned a Performance of the Night bonus. His second UFC fight, in February 2017, resulted in a win against Ryan Janes. While he suffered a loss to Thiago Santos later that year, he bounced back with a victory over Eric Spicely.
Meerschaert continued to experience both triumphs and setbacks in the following years. He defeated Oscar Piechota and Trevin Giles but fell short against Jack Hermansson, Kevin Holland, and Eryk Anders.
Despite COVID-19 interruptions in 2020, Meerschaert managed to secure wins over Deron Winn and Anthony Ivy, as well as a loss to Ian Heinisch. His planned fight against Ed Herman was canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test.
In September 2020, at UFC Fight Night, Meerschaert faced Khazmat Chimaev. The American's morale was dampened by the UFC's open support for his opponent, and he ended up losing the fight via first-round knockout just 17 seconds into the match.
Achievements
2010: Wisconsin State Middleweight Champion2016: Fight of the Night (vs. Joe Gigliotti)
2016: Resurrection Fighting Alliance Middleweight Champion
2017: Fight of the Night (vs. Eric Spicely)
Interesting Facts
Meerschaert holds a degree in music education and plays the alto saxophone.
In his youth, he trained in taekwondo and jiu-jitsu.
His nicknames include "GM3" (Gerald Meerschaert III) and "Machine."He stands at 6'1" (185 cm) tall and weighs 185 lbs (84 kg).
