LAS VEGAS – Whenever you consider the UFC middleweight division, you consider Anderson Silva. Why? As a result of the previous longtime champion was the final word finisher throughout his Corridor of Fame profession.
Suffice to say, any fighter who breaks one among Silva’s information, these are bragging rights of the very best order. And but for Gerald Meerschaert, it’s no large deal – at the very least for now.
Meerschaert, a 36-year-old UFC veteran since 2016, made promotional historical past Saturday evening as he submitted Edmen Shahbazyan within the second spherical at UFC on ESPN 62 in Las Vegas, surpassing Silva for many finishes in UFC middleweight historical past with 12.
“It’s cool to say. You recognize what I imply? I don’t give it some thought a lot proper now. It’s simply type of one struggle at a time,” Meerschaert instructed reporters, together with MMA Junkie, after his win on the UFC Apex. “I want I may provide you with greater than that, as a result of it’s a cool factor. Honestly, if I sit right here and cease to present myself a bit pat on the again, that’s superior simply to have my title in the identical dialog or sentence as any person like Anderson Silva or Demian Maia. That’s nice, however I’ve bought loads of struggle left in me. I’ve bought much more fights to go. After I grasp them up, although, that’ll be a cool factor to throw round. …
“It’s a cool factor to say for every now and then once I’m retired it’ll be enjoyable to inform my youngsters and watch them not care.”
Meerschaert (37-17 MMA, 12-9 UFC) needed to survive practically being completed within the second spherical after Shahbazyan dropped him and pounced with dozens of punches to the top, lots of them blocked by his arms. It was a harmful sequence, however Meerschaert mentioned he stored considering it was nice for him as he anticipated Shahbazyan to tire himself out. Certain sufficient, that’s what occurred, which led Meerschaert locking in an arm-triangle choke for the end at 4:12 of Spherical 2.
Was the end how Meerschaert drew it up? Completely not.
“I’ve had cleaner performances. However what enjoyable is it in case you don’t get punched within the face a couple of instances, proper?” Meerschaert mentioned, earlier than including. “So long as I’m awake, I’ve bought an opportunity to win. I just about blocked every part and simply needed to climate the storm a bit bit, discovered my manner out. …
“I do know if I’m nonetheless awake, there’s a manner for me to win. You’ve bought to place me 6 ft beneath earlier than I’m gonna cease combating.”
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