UFC Fight Night 161: Jedrzejczyk vs. Waterson - Predictions and Picks

#5 Eryk Anders vs. Gerald Meerschaert

Eryk Anders is one of the heaviest hitters in the 185lbs division

For me this fight should be all about how well Eryk Anders can continue to rebound from his recent struggles. ‘Ya Boi’ looked great in his KO of Vinicius Moreira in June, but this fight will be his first at his more natural weight of 185lbs for some time. Last time we saw Anders at Middleweight, he was edged out by Elias Theodorou in a fight that he would’ve won under PRIDE judging, but Meerschaert promises to offer a different test entirely.

‘The Machine’ isn’t anywhere near the athlete that Anders is, but at 29-11 he’s a very savvy veteran capable of finishing opponents both standing and on the ground. He’s also tough as leather – Thiago Santos became the first man to stop him with strikes at UFC 213, and that was in his 35th professional bout. He’s never going to be a title contender, but he’s very capable of winning this fight.

Anders’ strengths obviously lie in his massive punching power, particularly at 185lbs. He’s not the most nuanced striker but he’s not a wild brawler either, preferring to throw heavy straight punches rather than wild haymakers. The fact that he’s basically hurt every opponent he’s faced – outside of the much larger Khalil Rountree – bodes well for him, but he’s also got some notable weaknesses.

‘Ya Boi’ is a relatively low-output striker – hence Theodorou being able to outwork him despite being badly hurt by Anders’ punches – and despite a highlight reel head kick knockout of Tim Williams, he’s almost exclusively a boxer when it comes to his striking style. He’s also very straightforward, which enabled Lyoto Machida to cut angles on him and manage to outpoint him despite also being hurt on a few occasions.

With that in mind then, this could be a winnable fight for Gerald Meerschaert if he can fight the smart fight – basically pick at Anders from range, avoid the big punches, and even hit a takedown or two if the possibility arises. The issue for me with Meerschaert however is just that lack of pure athletic ability. It’s quite telling that Meerschaert’s UFC wins have come against fighters who also aren’t explosive athletes – Oskar Piechota, Eric Spicely for instance – and his losses have come against explosive fighters like Santos and Kevin Holland.

In the end I’m leaning towards Anders here; it’s a close one to call because Meerschaert does have the skill to win, but I just can’t trust him not to get hit hard by the more explosive athlete, and even if Anders can’t knock him out, a knockdown or some big punches across the three rounds should be enough to win him a decision.

The Pick: Anders via unanimous decision