Matt Serra

Matt Serra is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and Hall of Famer best remembered for one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history: a first-round knockout of heavily favored champion Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 in 2007. "The Terror" came to prominence after winning The Ultimate Fighter 4 welterweight tournament in 2006, which earned him an immediate title shot. Though few gave him a chance against the dominant St-Pierre, Serra's precise striking and composed footwork led to a stunning TKO victory that earned him Knockout of the Night honors and the championship belt.

Serra's path to that moment was anything but linear. Trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie and the first American to earn a black belt from the legendary family, Serra became a decorated grappling competitor before transitioning to MMA. Early in his UFC career, he compiled an uneven record marked by both impressive wins and brutal losses, including a spectacular knockout defeat to Shonie Carter at UFC 31 that became part of MMA lore. His persistence paid off when TUF 4 gave him a platform to prove himself, and his tournament run led directly to title contention.

The rematch with St-Pierre, held at UFC 83 in Montreal in 2008, told a different story. St-Pierre was a changed fighter, relentless in his grappling and control, and he dominated Serra to reclaim the undisputed welterweight crown. Serra continued fighting through the early 2010s, including notable wins over Frank Trigg and bouts against Hall of Famers Matt Hughes and B.J. Penn, but never reclaimed championship glory. He retired in 2013 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018. Since stepping away from active competition, Serra has become a respected voice in MMA media, serving as co-host of the official UFC podcast UFC Unfiltered and as a coach to future champions through his Serra-Longo Fight Team academy.