| Desription ......... A former student of MMA legend Renzo Gracie, Matt Serra first appeared in the spotlight after gaining the number one spot as a Brazilian jiu jitsu artist in the Pan American Games in 1999. Since that time, he’s gone on to earn honors and glory in the 1999 World Championships in Brazil, the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, The Ultimate Fighter reality television series, and in the UFC. Conquests over Pete Spratt, Shonie Carter, Chris Lytle, Georges St. Pierre, Ivan Menjivar, Jeff Curran, and Kelly Dullanty are included in Serra’s notable victories. Serra’s defeat over St. Pierre in April 2007 earned him the UFC Welterweight title, while his November 2006 defeat of Chris Lytle at the UFC 4 Finale put him at the top of the UFC Welterweight division for that event.
Heavy hits and strong arms have allowed Serra to punch and submit his way to victory in the Octagon, with his fighting style sometimes described as an “all out war” by writers at www.sherdog.com. Apart from competing in the UFC, Serra runs two MMA schools in New York with his brother Nick, called the Serra Jitsu schools (check them out at www.serrajitsu.com). Serra is Renzo Gracie’s first American black belt recipient, his brother Nick is the second, and Serra’s father is also a black belt. Yet it’s on the sheer energy of his explosive grappling, kicking and striking that Serra has managed to become of MMA’s top welterweights (As of June 2008, MMA Worldwide Magazine lists Serra as their #4 welterweight.) |