Serra at 35, Its All Gravy for Me !

[JKhrome1]

Matt Serra on UFC 109 victory: At 35, it's all gravy for me

by Steven Marrocco on Feb 08, 2010 at 10:15 am ET

Matt Serra does not want to fill Randy Couture's shoes.

At 35, Serra has a wife, a new baby, a successful school and a place in MMA history as than man who delivered the greatest upset in UFC history (against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69).

But Serra, who knocked out Frank Trigg at this past weekend at UFC 109, does share Couture's philosophy that fighting past traditional timelines of an athlete's prime is about having fun and challenging one's self.

"This is all gravy for me, and I'm just enjoying it from the walkout, enjoying the preparation, the camp, and I enjoy the fight," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the win at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. "That's where I am right now."

The win was an abrupt reversal from a two-fight slide in which Serra lost the UFC welterweight title he upset St-Pierre to win and came up short on points against nemesis Matt Hughes this past May.

Serra said his outlook on fighting changed when he won "The Ultimate Fighter 4" – a special "comeback" season of the reality series – and he hasn't looked back since.

"I'm very relaxed, and all the sparring caught up with me," he said. "I have a good awareness, and I land on my feet. I don't necessarily always feel more comfortable on the ground. I don't have that mentality. I know what it's like to have the mentality of a straight-up jiu-jitsu fighter where I've got to get the fight down.

"I feel like a complete – you could say mixed martial artist, but a general martial artist as well. I feel in phenomenal shape today. But say if I'm not the athlete I was at 26, I'm definitely the better fighter now because my skills have improved – and because I have such a calmness, because I've been there before, man. I've been in there with the best of them, and I just feel really, really comfortable in the octagon at this point."

Serra had no plans after Saturday night beyond family time and pasta.

Although Serra and Trigg did a fair amount of jawing in the lead-up to the fight, Serra said he was only responding in kind to his outspoken opponent.

"Trigg's an easy guy to have a verbal battle with because he plays that role," he said. "So you come at me, I come back at you. I don't do that with everybody, but it just seems my last three (opponents) – I'm not going to bite my tongue, that's for sure, if somebody disrespects me."

He didn't, however, feel good about the possibility of retiring Trigg.

"That's not what it's about," he said. "He's got a family; I've got a family. I'm coming off two losses. At the end of the day, it's all about respect."

Serra and Trigg weren't the only ones carrying the hype train. In a PR blitz that came out of nowhere, middleweight Chael Sonnen stole the spotlight with several controversial interviews that were cannon fodder for the media.

As someone who never bites his tongue, Serra said he likeds the Portland, Ore. fighter's style.

"Chael's doing a great job of marketing himself now because he was just kind of a wrestler," Serra said. "Now he's becoming quite the outspoken guy. The guy [is] speaking his mind – if it's not a popular opinion, who cares? – and people are going to want to see him fight, whether they want to see him win or lose. And that's what you want in this game. This game is the entertainment business."

If there is any pressing need in Serra's current MMA life, it's the legalization of the sport in his home state of New York. The welterweight has on several occasions advocated for a law change that would allow the UFC to come to Madison Square Garden, a mecca for combat sports. New York Governer David Patterson introduced a state budget proposal this past month that includes a bill to change the current laws that ban the sport. The state budget process must be completed by April 1.

That means Serra could fulfill his dream of fighting in front of a hometown crowd before he calls it quits.

For that, he's got time.

"I don't think I've got Randy's legs," Serra said. "I feel happy to be putting on exciting fights, good performances, for a guy that's been in this company since 2001."

For complete coverage of UFC 109, check out the UFC Events section of MMAjunkie.com.

[RJ316]

It's all spaghetti sauce for the Terra

I liked his blogs the last couple of weeks too, he is a funny little dude

[MFSQPSFAN]

yeah he's a funny fucker. i hope he pulls out a win at MSG

[Red Tex]

I've always liked Serra and thought he was a pretty underrated fighter. His voice is annoying and all, but he's usually pretty fun to watch. That was a great showing for him.

[Crow_Time]

If he'd go back to 155 he'd be a force still....

[Red Tex]

Originally Posted by Crow_Time

If he'd go back to 155 he'd be a force still....

No question he would. I'm not sure that Kenny could take Serra at 155 either. BJ could, but he'd give Kenny some major problems.

[Crow_Time]

Kenny would never get cracked with the shots Trigg did. I think Kenny would whoop him for 3 rounds... Serra is notorious for gassing too. That being said I think he'd be top 3-5 in the division. Id love to see him fight Gomi.

[Red Tex]

Originally Posted by Crow_Time

Kenny would never get cracked with the shots Trigg did. I think Kenny would whoop him for 3 rounds... Serra is notorious for gassing too. That being said I think he'd be top 3-5 in the division. Id love to see him fight Gomi.

I just think he would be able to shoot in possibly and take him down. Serra is strong and Serra has a lot of power. It would be a very good match up. You I don't want to say that Kenny would lose to anyone. I just think that Serra would be a bad match up for him, but I'd be rooting for Florian the whole way of course. I think Serra would be to strong for most of the other 155ers and his lack of reach that he has at 170 wouldn't be near as much of an issue.

[asugar]

Serra can't make 155.

I honestly think he is overrated, which says something because most people don't rate him highly.

He has heavy hands that are limited by his short reach and great BJJ skills that are limited by his lack of takedowns.

I'm a fan of hughes, but if the sad shadow that has been fighting in matt (mark?)'s place can beat a fighter, that means that fighter is not in contention.

As I was saying that, I thought of a good fight: Paulo Thiago vs. Matt Serra.

That would be pretty kick ass.

[tw0mey]

Serra should string some wins at 170, then get an automatic title shot at 155 vs Penn. Srs