There was one miss on the scales ahead of Saturday’s UFC card in Perth.
The Octagon has returned to Australia this week, with MMA’s top promotion back at RAC Arena in Perth.
Jack Della Maddalena headlines the event in his hometown, looking to rebound from his welterweight title defeat. To get back on track, he’ll need to get past Carlos Prates on May 2.
While both Della Maddalena and Prates came in on weight, one 25-fight UFC veteran didn’t hit the mark.
Misha Cirkunov missed weight by four pounds ahead of his light heavyweight bout against B.J. Mullens. The fight will go ahead at a catchweight, but Cirkunov will have to give up part of his purse to Mullens as a penalty.
Gerald Meerschaert heads into UFC Perth on the back of four straight defeats
Saturday’s bout will be Meerschaert’s 26th appearance inside the Octagon, and he has spent his entire UFC career fighting at 185 pounds.
The missed weight is another tough moment in what has already been a difficult period for the 38-year-old.
He hasn’t picked up a win since defeating Edmen Shahbazyan in 2024, going 0-4 since then.
Meerschaert even faced calls to consider retirement after being submitted by Kyle Daukaus at UFC 322 last November.
If he suffers a fifth straight loss in Perth, similar discussions are likely to follow.
