Gerald Meerschaert and Edmen Shahbazyan face off on the main card of UFC on ESPN 62 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Check out this quick analysis 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 in his 20 UFC appearances. He’s had his ups and downs over the years, but he enters this contest having defeated Bryan Barberena by rear-naked choke submission 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 fair share of troubles. After winning his first four fights, he lost three in a row. He now has a 2-1 record in his last three fights and enters on the momentum of a first-round win over AJ Dobson in March.
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62, expert tip, forecast
Although I initially felt the urge to criticize the UFC matchmakers for tripling the middleweight contenders on the main card, I can’t hate this 185-pound fight between Meerschaert and Shahbazyan.
While he undoubtedly had some initial struggles, Shahbazyan has shown signs of improvement since moving his training camp to Las Vegas. Still, I’m not sure Shahabazyan has completely fixed some of his core issues when it comes to things like aggressiveness and toughness.
Aside from the fact that sharp punches proved to be second-rate in Shahbazyan’s fights, the Armenian-American boxer sacrificed some key positions both offensively and defensively in his last appearance against AJ Dobson, which would have cost him dearly in a fight against a wrestler 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 fighters of any weight class, making him my top 10 rear-naked choke fighters in MMA history.
When you factor in the fact that this fight is taking place in the smaller Octagon (which can give superior wrestlers a stylistic advantage), I’m willing to bet that Meerschaert will survive an early storm and make history with a Round 3 RNC.
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62 odds
The bookmakers and the public are on the side of the younger man, listing Shahbazyan -300 and Meerschaert +235 via FanDuel.
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Edmen Shahbazyan UFC on ESPN 62: Start time and how to watch
As the opening bout of the main event, Meerschaert and Shahbazyan are expected to enter the cage at approximately 10:05 p.m. ET. The fight will air on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.
Be sure to visit MMA Junkie’s Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with mixed martial arts fans.