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The action continues to roll from the UFC Apex as we begin the Main Card of UFC Vegas 88. We've got another betting prediction and pick as 50-fight veteran Gerald Meerschaert takes on the always-exciting Bryan Barberena in the Middleweight (185) Division. Check out our UFC odds series for our Meerschaert-Barberena prediction and pick.
Gerald Meerschaert (35-17) has gone 10-9 during his UFC run since 2016, facing just about everyone the division has to offer. His last win came in comeback fashion over Bruno Silva as he toughed out a signature submission win. He was the KO'd by Joe Pyfer and lost a gutting split-decision to Andre Petroski in his last fight, so this is another big rebound chance for him. ‘GM3' stands 6'1″ with a 77.5-inch reach.
Bryan Barberena (18-11) comes into this fight at an even 9-9 in his UFC career since 2014. He's been up-and-down in his career, recently winning three straight bouts over Darian Weeks, Robbie Lawler, and Matt Brown. Following that, he lost three consecutive fights and comes into this one looking to break that streak. Barberena stands 6'0″ with a 72.5-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC Vegas 88 Odds: Gerald Meerschaert-Bryan Barberena Odds
Gerald Meerschaert: -238
Bryan Barberena: +203
Over 2.5 rounds: +125
Under 2.5 rounds: -155
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Why Gerald Meerschaert Will Win
Gerald Meerschaert had to face two massive power punchers back-to-back in Joe Pyfer and Andre Petroski that may have reminded him of a younger version of himself. Meershaert is one of the most tested veterans in the UFC and he's been fighting killer after killer throughout the division. His last win against Bruno Silva proved that Meerschaert can still stay alive and find a submission win in the toughest spots. He'll be coming into this fight with the same resilient mindset.
Meerschaert's last few knockout losses have been particularly bad and he'll want to avoid taking too many shots on the chin during this one. While he's great at surviving and fighting in compromising spots, he has an easy ‘off switch' and won't be able to sustain too many clean shots to the head. On the ground, GM3 is the much more superior grappler and should look to take this fight to the ground immediately.
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Why Bryan Barberena Will Win
You always know what you're going to get out of a Bryan Barberena fight and with him coming in off two losses, he'll be noticeably motivated to get this win and get back on track. Two of his last three-straight losses came by submission, so he'll have to be mindful of the jiu jitsu skills of Meerschaert in this one. However, Barberena notched three consecutive wins over veterans close to or older than Meerschaert in age, so he could see similar success against an older opponent once again.
Bryan Barberena will see the most success by backing Meeerschaert up against the cage and forcing him to fight off the back foot. If he can keep him guessing while he's backing up, it'll give Barberena more room to fire off his combinations and work his opponent to the body. He's got the cardio to go all three rounds and he's nearly impossible to finish on the feet, so expect ‘Bam Bam' to keep coming forward during this one.
Final Gerald Meerschaert-Bryan Barberena Prediction & Pick
Neither fighter has had much luck over their last three contests and this will be a big opportunity for both of them to get a win back and build some momentum moving forward.
Gerald Meerschaert has been struggling against younger, more powerful strikers and he'll want to avoid getting hit cleanly in this one. He has the size and grappling advantage, so it would be in his best interest to tie Barberena up and make this a dirty fight in the clinch and on the ground.
Barberena, on the other hand, has the higher striking output and will be able to sustain more damage in the striking due to his solid chin. If he can keep pressuring forward and letting his combinations fly, he's bound to land a big shot that sits Meerschaert down sooner rather than later.
For our final prediction, we're going to roll with Bryan Barberena to get the win. Gerald Meerschaert hasn't been reacting well to clean shots over his last few fights and with the amount Barberena throws, he's bound to sustain some damage. The only way Meerschaert can win this fight is if he finds an unlikely submission from a bad spot, but we'll take the chance with Barberena to overwhelm him and finish this fight on the feet.
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Final Gerald Meerschaert-Bryan Barberena Prediction & Pick: Bryan Barberena (+203)
