Kyle Daukaus sees big things in second stint after quick submission at UFC 322
NEW YORK – Kyle Daukaus met with the media on Saturday following his victory over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC 322.
Daukaus (17-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) quickly defeated Meerschaert (37-20 MMA, 12-12 UFC) in prelims at Madison Square Garden and submitted him in just 50 seconds with a D’Arce choke. This finish turned the tables on Meerschaert, who is a renowned grappler who has the most submission wins in UFC middleweight history and has the highest submission rate in UFC history with 11 of his 12 wins coming via tapout.
Advertisement
Daukaus found himself out of the UFC after a 2-4 run in the promotion from 2020 to 2022, but won the Cage Fury middleweight title in 2023, defended it twice, then made his return to the UFC earlier this year in Shanghai – where he scored a stunning 43-second knockout over Michel Pereira.
With his Meerschaert finish in 50 seconds, he has six consecutive victories – and the most important, quick, in his second stint in the UFC.
“For me, there are no limits,” Daukaus said in his post-fight press conference. “It’s something I’ve worked for my whole life – I really have, and it really shows. There’s a lot of guys coming up in this game right now that are very good and very talented, and I feel like I’m one of those guys. I’m just very grateful.”
Having been eliminated the first time around, Daukaus said he had to be resilient and find the right mental approach to return to the big show.
Advertisement
“When it happened at first, obviously I was upset and annoyed. But I figured I could dwell on it and be annoyed the whole time, or make them think it was a mistake and keep winning and come back here. I really just want to show that my career and my lifestyle is an example of guys who struggle in their lives, and they come back.
“…I’m going to get back on the big stage and I’m going to make a statement. That’s the momentum I had.”
Check out Daukaus’ post-fight interview in the video above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kyle Daukaus sees big things in second stint after UFC 322
