Gerald Meerschaert moves to 205, draws Julius Walker on October 10. Gerald Meerschaert is making a major change in an attempt to turn his UFC career around. The veteran middleweight is moving up to light heavyweight to face Julius “Juice Box” Walker at the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for October 10, 2026, at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
The move comes at a difficult point for Meerschaert. The 38-year-old has lost his last five fights, with his most recent setback coming against Jacob Malkoun by unanimous decision on May 2, 2026. Meerschaert also missed the middleweight limit for that bout by four pounds, making the move to 205 particularly intriguing.
Before the losing streak began, Meerschaert had been one of the UFC’s most reliable submission specialists. He owns 29 professional submission victories, including a win over Edmen Shahbazyan in October 2024.
Walker will also enter the matchup looking to rebound. The 26-year-old has lost his last two fights, including a brutal eight-second knockout loss to Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev at UFC Baku in June. Earlier in 2026, Walker was stopped by Dustin Jacoby in the second round. That makes the October 10 matchup a genuine crossroads fight. Meerschaert will be testing himself at 205 pounds for the first time in his UFC career, while Walker will be looking to stop his own skid.
For Meerschaert, the move to 205 pounds could be exactly what he needs to revive his UFC career. But standing across from him will be Walker, who will be just as desperate to return to the win column. When they meet on October 10, both fighters will have plenty to prove and only one can leave with his hand raised
