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USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 65
Gerald Meerschaert and Brad Tavares meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 65 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 3-3 UFC main cards, 2025: 25-22-1 Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares UFC on ESPN 65 preview Perhaps one of the most unheralded UFC stats is that Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC) hash nine straight wins by submission and nearly 80 percent of his total haul of MMA victories by tapout. If he can get Tavares (20-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC) to tap, it will be the 30th submission of his career. The beauty of the matchup? Tavares hasn't been submitted in 15 years – and it didn't even count since it was a fight in the 'TUF' house. Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares UFC on ESPN 65 expert pick, prediction Filling out the main card is a matchup between two of my favorite middleweights, Brad Tavares and Gerald Meerschaert. Despite my constant complaining about the matchmakers' love of force-feeding us middleweights at any opportunity, Meerschaert and Tavares are two fighters whom I have genuine love and appreciation for. Tavares doesn't get enough love for his longevity due to his propensity to participate in hard-fought decisions. Meerschaert, on the other hand, is a workman-like veteran who will generally sell out to secure his win conditions – which is why he quietly holds so many finishing records at 185 pounds. Although Meerschaert is primarily known for his submission prowess, 'GM3' is an underrated southpaw striker who can make things much closer than many suspect. Luckily for Tavares, he generally tends to fair well against dedicated UFC-level lefties, standing at 3-1 opposite listed southpaws in the octagon. Tavares' last finish also comes against a southpaw in Krzysztof Jotko, but the Xtreme Couture product also got clipped with a southpaw right hook by a stance-switching Bruno Silva (who eventually knocked him out from orthodox with another right hand). I'm not sure Meerschaert has the same pop or shot selection as Silva, so this may come down to his ability to wear down and eventually ground Tavares. The small cage should favor Meerschaert's efforts, I'm just not sure it will be enough to overcome Tavares' excellent takedown defense. As a big fan of these guys, I'm hoping for a Fight of Night barnburner that ends in a draw. But as an analyst who is trying his best to put biases aside, I believe that Tavares is stylistically set up to hit his quiet trend of finding a finish in the octagon every seven years. The pick is Tavares by knockout in Round 1. Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares UFC on ESPN 65 odds The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Hawaiian fighter, listing Tavares (-220) and Meerschaert (+176) via FanDuel. Gerald Meerschaert vs. Brad Tavares UFC on ESPN 65 start time, how to watch Meerschaert and Tavares are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET. The fight airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65: Brad Tavares vs. Gerald Meerschaert odds, picks and predictions
In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Brad Tavares and Gerald Meerschaert meet at UFC on ESPN 65 Saturday at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's odds around the UFC on ESPN 65: Tavares vs. Meerschaert odds, and make our expert picks and predictions. The prelims start at 6 p.m. ET with the main card beginning at 9 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN+). Records: Tavares (20-11-0) | Meerschaert (37-18-0) This is a battle of 37-year-old veterans in desperate need of a victory. Tavares hits the octagon looking to bounce back from a split-decision loss to JunYong Park last time out in a fight night in mid-October 2024. He has dropped 4 of his past 5 fights, with 2 losses by way of decision, and 2 via KO/TKO. Meerschaert tapped out against Reinier de Ridder last time out in early Nov. 2024, halting a 2-bout win streak, each via Round 2 submission. He had wins against Edmen Shahbazyan and Bryan Barberena before the de Ridder loss. In his past 6 fights, he has just 1 fight go the distance, and he has gone the distance just twice in the previous 13 bouts. On the flip side, Tavares has gone the distance twice in the past 3 outings, and 5 times in the past 7 bouts since Jan. 23, 2021. The southpaw Meerschaert has a 3-inch reach advantage, while Tavares has a slight 3.43-to-3.10 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, although Meerschaert is more accurate on those strikes at 52.08%, to 48.08% for Tavares. On the ground, Meerschaert has the clear advantage, posting a 2.01 takedown average and 35.21% takedown accuracy percentage. He has a 1.52 submission average, too. Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here. UFC on ESPN 65: Tavares vs. Meerschaert odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET. Fight result (2-way line) : Tavares -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Meerschaert +135 (bet $100 to win $135) : Tavares -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Meerschaert +135 (bet $100 to win $135) Total rounds: 2.5 (Over -190 | Under +145) 2.5 (Over -190 | Under +145) Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -155 | No +115) UFC on ESPN 65: Tavares vs. Meerschaert picks and predictions MEERSCHAERT (+135) is a solid play on the 2-way line. As far as the method of victory, Meerschaert will use his 3-inch reach advantage to push and pull Tavares out at his discretion before going in for the takedown. While Tavares has gone the distance frequently, playing MEERSCHAERT BY KO/TKO, DQ OR SUBMISSION (+275) on the 5-way line for the chance to nearly triple up is a strong play. UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (+145) at plus-money is a strong option, as Meerschaert is a good bet to score the KO/TKO or submission victory. NO (+115): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is also an option if you'd like a little extra wiggle room, in the event of a finish late in Round 3. Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis. For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65's Brad Tavares: Gerald Meerschaert a tough guy, but 'very beatable'
LAS VEGAS – Brad Tavares likes how he matches up with Gerald Meerschaert, but won't make the mistake of underestimating him. Tavares (20-10 MMA, 15-10 UFC) takes on fellow middleweight veteran Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC) in Saturday's (ESPN, ESPN+) UFC on ESPN 65 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Meerschaert has come up big as an underdog with surprising finishes over the likes of Makhmud Muradov, Bruno Silva, and Edmen Shahbazyan – and Tavares is fully aware of that. 'I loved it – it's a fight that I actually wanted,' Tavares said of Meerschaert at Wednesday's media day. 'I think stylistically, it's a good matchup. Gerald is a very tough guy, but I think for me very beatable – not taking anything away from him. 'I feel like that's the downfall to a lot of the people he's beaten because a lot of his fights you'll watch, you think he's down and out, it's over, and here comes Hail Mary: He pulls it off. So you've got to respect that about the guy. (He's) another veteran who's been here a long time, has a lot of fights, a lot of experience like myself, so definitely not overlooking him.' Although Tavares is expecting to have his moments in the fight, he won't necessarily chase the finish or expect it. He explains why. 'He's a tough guy. He is hard to put away,' Tavares said. 'Even when people think they've got the fight in the bag with him, you watch his film, you see a lot of his fights – he'll pull it off. He'll find a way. He's one of those guys that will find a way to get it done, and you have to respect that about him. 'A lot of people maybe mid-fight – some of them go into that not respecting him, and some of them because they're doing so well, they forget almost. Again, experience: I've made that mistake in the past before where I've done so well early on, and I kind of let off the gas or got away from the game plan a little bit, and then it ultimately doesn't work out. It's something I mentally keep reminding myself.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
USA Today
02-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 65's Gerald Meerschaert still has title ambitions, would settle with all-time submission record
LAS VEGAS – Gerald Meerschaert is still placing his goals at the highest echelon of the sport going into his 23rd octagon appearance Saturday at UFC on ESPN 65 Meerschaert (37-18 MMA, 12-10 UFC) has had mixed results in his more than eight-year run the promotion, as his record reflects. There's been high points and low points, but he has put together a notable career, and currently holds the middleweight record for finishes and submission wins going into his upcoming matchup with fellow veteran Brad Tavares at the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+). After losing his previous outing to debuting former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder in October, Meerschaert is relishing the matchup with Tavares, who has followed a similar path to him. 'I think he's the only guy active right now at middleweight that's got more UFC fights than I do,' Meerschaert told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday's UFC on ESPN 64 media day. 'It's great to fight another guy that's been around. He's fought tough guys, he's been in tough fights. It's going to be a lot of fun to figure out solving that puzzle on Saturday, and I couldn't have more respect for my opponent.' At 37, it might seem like the best performances of Meerschaert's career would be behind him. He disagrees, however, and thinks there's a lot of tread remaining on his tires going into 56th professional bout. Meerschaert is realistic to what the challenges of a title run would look like at this stage, but said it would be against his moral code toward the sport to set the bar anything lower. If it doesn't happen for him, though, he intends to keep fighting, keep winning and keep putting his name highest in the UFC record books. 'It's a far, far way off but the belt is the goal of anybody in the UFC,' Meerschaert said. 'I'm a reasonable person and I understand that's very far off in the distance and first I've got to win a fight, then I've got win a couple fights in a row, and then think about a ranked opponent and all that stuff. Other than that, the submission record is cool, the finish record is cool. 'Brad's got the most fights at middleweight. I don't know how long he's going to stick around, but if I could get that record, I think that would be cool. Then see how close I can get to that overall submission record, too. Seeing how close I can get to that is another one for me.' For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 65.
