In a 3-round middleweight bout on the main card, Gerald Meerschaert and Reinier de Ridder meet Saturday at UFC Fight Night 247 — also known as UFC on ESPN+ 105 and UFC Vegas 100 — at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s UFC odds around the UFC Fight Night 247: Meerschaert vs. de Ridder oddsand make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+, while the main card begins at 7 p.m. ET.
Records: Meerschaert (37-17-0) | de Ridder (17-2-0)
The 36-year-old veteran Meerschaert comes in as a decisive underdog. He he managed back-to-back submission victories in Round 2 both against by Bryan Barber and Edmen Shahbazyan. “GM3” is a southpaw who has been in the wars, winning 12 of his 21 fights at the UFC level dating back to his company debut Dec. 9, 2016.
Rarely does Meerschaert involve the judges, with just 2 of his fights to go the distance in the past 12 fights since March 2020, his last fight before the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Meerschaert does a great job on the ground, posting a 2.14 takedown average, 36.23% takedown accuracy percentage and 1.63 submission average. He is a beast on the mat, if he can get the fight there early.
De Ridder picked up a Round 1 victory at UAE Warriors 51 against Magomedmurad Khasaev in his most recent fight. He has won 17 of his 19 career fights, with 11 submission victories, while going 4-2 via KO/TKO.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
UFC Fight Night 247: Meerschaert vs. de Ridder odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of UFC odds. Lines last updated at 12:52 p.m. ET.
- Fight result (2-way line): Meerschaert +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | de Ridder -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
- Total Rounds: 2.5 Rounds (Over +100 | Under -130)
- Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +120 | No -165)
UFC Fight Night 247: Meerschaert vs. de Ridder picks and predictions
Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)
The veteran Meerschaert (+240) is a tempting play based on the fact he is a veteran who knows how to handle himself.
It’s risky to back de Ridder (-300), as he would cost you 3 times your potential return. That’s risky anyway, but especially on a guy making his UFC debut against a dangerous veteran.
De Ridder has been a beast on the mat in his career, so Meerschaert might not be eager to get him on the canvas. We might have more of a toe-to-toe fight, which is a bit slow, and the crowd might not appreciate the slow pace.
Eventually, the Dutch fighter in his debut is the lean. DE RIDDER BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+175) is a solid play at this point.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (+100) at even-money is a recommended play.
Both of these fighters are solid on the mat, and they should actually negate each other in the wrestling game. If this fight ends early, it won’t be via submission, but could be due to a lucky knockout. If not, we’re going all the way.
YES: FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE? (+120) at plus-money is also good if you’re a little more adventurous.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
For more sports betting picks and tipscheck out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.
- -
