Jacob Malkoun defeated Gerald Meerschaert by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) at UFC Perth. Malkoun improves to 10-3 and extends his winning streak to three consecutive victories. The 38-year-old Meerschaert drops to 37-22 overall and has now lost five straight fights. The post questions whether it may be time for Meerschaert to consider retirement given his age and recent skid.
Jacob Malkoun extended his winning streak to three fights with a unanimous decision victory over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Perth, with all three judges scoring the middleweight bout 29-28 in the Australian's favor.
Malkoun, known as "Mamba," moves to 10-3 with the win and continues to build momentum in the middleweight division. The 30-year-old from Australia, fighting out of PMA Super Martial Arts, has shown himself to be a well-rounded threat. His numbers back that up: he lands 4.55 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, and generates a remarkable 5.81 takedown attempts per 15 minutes, giving opponents problems both standing and on the mat.
Meerschaert, the 38-year-old southpaw nicknamed "GM3," now sits at 37-22 after dropping his fifth consecutive fight. The Kill Cliff FC veteran stands six-foot-one with a 77-inch reach and has long been respected for his submission game, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career. However, results have not gone his way recently, and the summary accompanying his latest loss raises the question of whether the American should consider stepping away from competition given his age and the length of his current skid.
Why it matters
- Malkoun's three-fight winning streak puts him in position to push toward the rankings in a competitive middleweight division
- Meerschaert's five consecutive losses raise serious questions about his future in the UFC
- The stylistic contrast between Malkoun's high-volume grappling and Meerschaert's submission-oriented ground game made for a compelling matchup that ultimately favored the younger, more explosive fighter
