LIer Serra grabs title, stuns UFC

BY JOE FERNANDEZ | joe.fernandez@newsday.com

April 9, 2007

He walked out to the Octagon with a remix of the old "Rocky" theme song playing in the arena. In the end, Matt Serra couldn't have scripted it any better.

Serra, 32, of East Meadow scored a stunning first-round TKO to win the Ultimate Fighting Championship's welterweight title. Serra knocked out former champ Georges St. Pierre at UFC 69 Saturday night at Toyota Center in Houston to win the belt.

Serra, who owns two Brazilian jiu-jitsu academies on Long Island, earned his title shot after winning the fourth season of SpikeTV's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback."

"It feels great to bring the title to Long Island," Serra said by phone last night. "A lot of people doubted me."

Not many gave Serra a chance against St. Pierre, who recorded a vicious knockout of Matt Hughes in November to win the belt. Many consider Hughes to be the greatest welterweight in UFC history.

Serra's strength is his grappling. He is the first American to earn a black belt under Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie.

The 5-6 Serra stood in the center of the Octagon and decided to go toe to toe with the 5-10 St. Pierre. He avoided the Canadian's high kicks and sharp jabs. Midway through the first round, Serra landed a flurry of punches that stunned St. Pierre, and Serra swooped in to finish him off.

"When I hurt him, I pounced on him," Serra said. "I think it was a different fight than he expected. I sparred with a lot of guys for this fight. I did at least 80 rounds of sparring."

Serra earned his title shot after getting a split decision over Chris Lytle in the reality show's season finale in November. The show was labeled "The Comeback" because each one of the fighters had at least one prior fight in the UFC.

"I couldn't be prouder of the guy," Serra's striking coach Ray Longo said in the Octagon after the fight. "All I wanted him to do was believe in himself and fight the way he spars. He fought better than he spars. He has the heart, he has the desire and that's why he's the champion."

Two of Serra's top students were on Saturday night's undercard. Bay Shore native Pete Sell lost by unanimous decision to Brazilian Thales Leites. New Hyde Park's Luke Cummo overwhelmed Josh Haynes before the referee stopped the fight in the second round.

Serra has been overcome by the reception he is receiving from fans and friends. "My [cell phone) mailbox is full," Serra said. "I have to delete messages to get new ones. I'm trying to call everyone back."