UFC Fight Night 199 Prelims: Gerald Meerschaert Completes Perfect 2021 Campaign

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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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.

Related » UFC Fight Night 199 Round-by-Round Scoring

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.