HE NEEDED A FINISH AND HE GOT IT!
GM3 was down two rounds before sinking in the RNC!!!
#UFCVegas45 pic.twitter.com/sYY4LDh2mf— UFC (@ufc)
December 18, 2021
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PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live
on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via
the ESPN app. Gerald
Meerschaert took a circuitous route but nevertheless arrived at
his desired destination.
The Roufusport mainstay completed a perfect 2021 campaign—he went
3-0 with three submission victories—inside the Ultimate Fighting
Championship’s middleweight division, as he dispatched Dustin
Stoltzfus with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their
featured UFC Fight Night 199 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. Stoltzfus (13-4, 0-3 UFC) met his end 2:58 into Round
3.
Meerschaert (34-14, 9-6 UFC) appeared to tire after a
back-and-forth first round. Stoltzfus controlled a majority of the
second with a takedown, positional advances and a number of
submission attempts, including a brabo choke and a Peruvian
necktie. Meerschaert responded in Round 3, where he surrendered a
takedown, scrambled into top position and ultimately climbed to the
back. The choke was soon in place, leaving Stoltzfus no choice but
to capitulate.
Tafa Head Kick Levels Hunsucker
Former Xtreme Fighting Championship titleholder Justin Tafa
chopped down Harry
Hunsucker with a head kick in the first round of their
heavyweight clash. Hunsucker (7-5, 0-2 UFC) checked out 1:53 into
Round 1, suffering his second setback in as many outings.
Tafa (5-3, 2-2 UFC) clipped the Dana White’s Contender Series
graduate with a left hook, took top position and freed himself from
an attempted kimura before the two men returned to their feet. He
later staggered Hunsucker with a right hook, dodged a takedown and
dropped him to the base of the cage with a head kick. The
American’s guard was up, but he could not withstand
the concussive impact Tafa’s massive leg generated.
The victory was Tafa’s first since Feb. 8, 2020 and closed the book
on a two-fight losing streak.
Unbeaten Gatto Fells Eubanks
Melissa
Gatto kept her undefeated record intact, as she cut down “The
Ultimate Fighter” Season 26 finalist Sijara
Eubanks with a front kick to the body and follow-up punches in
the third round of their women’s flyweight battle. Gatto (8-0-2,
2-0 UFC) drew the curtain 45 seconds into Round 3.
Eubanks (7-7, 5-5 UFC) scrambled into top position and counteracted
the Brazilian’s venomous guard with stifling control in the first
round. Gatto responded in the middle stanza, where she used the
threat of a kimura to sweep into top position, neutralized the Mark
Henry protégé with ground-and-pound and altered the direction of
the match. Early in Round 3, she doubled over Eubanks
with a perfectly placed front kick, forced her to retreat to
the canvas in visible distress and forced the stoppage with a few
unanswered blows.
Gatto now finds herself on a three-fight winning streak.
Jourdain Overwhelms Reeling Ewell
Former TKO Major League MMA champion Charles
Jourdain rebounded from his Sept. 4 submission loss to Julian
Erosa with a one-sided unanimous decision over Andre Ewell
in a three-round featherweight tilt. All three cageside judges
scored it for Jourdain (12-4-1, 3-3-1 UFC): 30-26, 30-27 and
29-27.
Ewell (17-9, 4-5 UFC) was successful in spurts, especially early,
but faded as time passed. Jourdain attacked his base with repeated
leg kicks, pieced together combinations and turned up the heat when
the situation called for it. He had Ewell reeling with a left hook
in the second round, followed it with a knee and put him on the
canvas, swarming with ground-and-pound for a potential finish.
Though Jourdain failed to produce a stoppage, the tide had been
turned. He dialed up the pressure again in Round 3, trapped Ewell
in a front headlock and hammered away with knees to the head and
body. Jourdain closed with a flourish, as he connected on a wheel
kick in the closing seconds and sat down the onetime CES MMA
titleholder with a front kick to the body.
The 33-year-old Ewell has lost three fights in a row for the first
time as a pro.
Pennington Guillotine Sinks Chiasson
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 18 semifinalist Raquel
Pennington submitted Macy
Chiasson with a guillotine choke in the second round of their
women’s featherweight confrontation. A short-notice substitution
for Julia Avila,
Chiasson (7-2, 5-2 UFC) raised the white flag 3:07 into Round
2.
Chiasson seized the reins at the start with stout combinations,
occasional knees to the body and a late takedown. Pennington (13-8,
10-5 UFC) was not impressed. She broke free from a clinch with
hooks from both hands in the second round, backed up the Fortis MMA
rep with a multi-punch volley
and caught the choke when Chiasson moved in for a takedown. The
tapout followed soon after.
Pennington has rattled off three straight wins.
New-Look Mayes Annihilates Parisian
Don’Tale
Mayes put away “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 28 alum Josh
Parisian with a burst of elbows in the third round of their
heavyweight affair. Now operating out of the revered Jackson-Wink
MMA camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mayes (9-4, 2-2 UFC) brought
it to a close 3:26 into Round 3.
Parisian (14-5, 1-2 UFC) offered little in terms of meaningful
resistance. Mayes struck for repeated takedowns in the first and
second rounds, progressed to advantageous positions and assaulted
his counterpart with ground-and-pound. Once fatigue took hold, the
proverbial writing was on the wall. Mayes delivered his final
takedown in the middle of Round 3,
trapped Parisian in a topside crucifix and cut loose with
elbows until referee Herb Dean had
seen enough.
Mayes will enter his next assignment on the heels of back-to-back
victories.
Leavitt Choke Submits Sayles
Syndicate MMA export Jordan
Leavitt submitted fellow Dana White’s Contender Series graduate
Matt
Sayles with an inverted triangle choke in the second round of
their lightweight pairing. In his first appearance since Dec. 7,
2019, Sayles (8-4, 1-3 UFC) conceded defeat 2:05 into Round 2.
Leavitt (9-1, 2-1 UFC) struck for a takedown midway through the
first round, threatened with a brabo choke and set the stage for
what was to come. Sayles secured a takedown of his own roughly two
minutes into the middle stanza, only to leave his head and neck
exposed.
Leavitt calmly locked up choke from the bottom, tightened his
squeeze and prompted the tapout.
Sayles, 27, has lost three of his last four bouts. 
