Jacob Malkoun Faces Gerald Meerschaert as -1600 Favorite at UFC Perth

jacob malkoun enters UFC Perth as a -1600 favorite, and the numbers around Gerald Meerschaert make the matchup look even more one-sided. Their three-round middleweight bout is set for the prelims at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, with Malkoun carrying a two-fight UFC winning streak into Saturday.

UFC Perth Line

Malkoun is 9-3 with three knockouts and returned at UFC 325 in January after a two-year hiatus from MMA, beating Torrez Finney. Meerschaert brings a 10-year UFC run into his 59th professional MMA walk, but he arrives on four consecutive losses and last won in August 2024 against Edmen Shahbazyan.

Meerschaert Misses Weight

The strongest wrinkle came at weigh-ins, where Meerschaert came in four pounds over the middleweight limit. The fight will still move forward, but he will forfeit 30 percent of his purse, adding a financial cost to an already difficult spot against a fighter who has won two straight in the UFC.

Numbers Favor Malkoun

The betting and stat lines point in the same direction. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Malkoun is listed at -1600 while Meerschaert sits at +900, and Ryan Wohl backed Malkoun to win by decision at +225. Malkoun also averages 4.55 significant strikes per minute and 5.81 takedowns per 15 minutes, both better than Meerschaert’s 3.01 significant strikes and 1.82 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Meerschaert does own the size edge at 6'1" to 5'9" with a 77-inch reach over Malkoun’s 73 inches, but the price, the recent form, and the weigh-in miss all sit on the same side of the ledger. For Malkoun, the assignment is straightforward: protect the streak and handle a veteran who has not won since August 2024. For Meerschaert, the purse penalty is part of the damage before the opening bell.