Matt Hughes vs Matt Serra UFC fight likely in April 2009

by MMAmania.com on Oct 21, 2008 11:26 AM EDT Comment 60 comments

serra hughes
Arch enemies Matt Hughes and Matt Serra will more than likely finally face off in the Octagon to settle their bitter score sometime in April 2009, according to Matt-Hughes.com.

Here’s a snip from Hughes’ most recent blog entry:

"This week, I talked to Joe Silva at the UFC and a possible date for Serra and I is in April. I don’t know the exact date right now or venue. So, that is something that I can look forward to and I can set my training up for that schedule."

Both former welterweight champions have been sidelined with injuries -- Serra sustained an elbow injury in his loss to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ back in April and Hughes has been nursing a knee injury that he suffered in his loss to Thiago Alves at UFC 85: "Bedlam″ back in June.

Serra and Hughes — who are about as opposite as two people can get — were opposing coaches in The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 6 and were supposed to fight at UFC 79: "Nemesis" in December 2007. However, Serra had to withdraw because of a serious back injury.

The trash-talking has heated up ever since.

The pair had been rumored to collide in January of February; however, this latest report debunks that scenario, which gives the duo even more time to yap about mixing it up once and for all.

No firm date, location or event number for the 170-pound showdown is known at this time.

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I got it being a good fight, but it’s lost a little for me. I like serra by KO.
hey guys I got my thoughts on the exc going under in that thread, check it out!

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 21, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Me too. He has much better stand up that Hughes, and his Jits is even with Hughes GNP. Hughes seems to have lost a little though so Serra could possibly tap him.

I just hope Serra wins so Hughes can retire and shut up already. I’m not sure if I would rather see Hughes tap or get KO’d though.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You guys always seem to know what you’re talking about, until it comes to Hughes/Serra. I am utterly baffled as to how or why people think Serra can beat him, let alone knock him out or tap him. I just don’t get or see it. This fight will go a lot like the Royce Gracie fight. Matt will take him down, beat him up, and either submit or TKO. Serra is SHIT! Doesn’t belong here man.

Gahd, yall seriously think Serra can win?? Aside from his FLUKE win over GSP, what in the hell makes you all think that?

by sinister on Oct 21, 2008 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree with Sinister on this one…..

by Psyqo78®™ on Oct 21, 2008 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

look at his opponents in the past. while serra is a typical annoying new yorker (sorry phil) he’s a quality mma practitioner!

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 21, 2008 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Serra is highly under rated. He has never been dominated except for the GSP fight and has only been finished by GSP and Shonnies spinning backfist. He went to a decision against BJ, and almost destroyed Karo exactly how he ko’ed GSP but he gassed and lost the fight.

Hughes is DONE!!! Serra is a strong, stocky TANK at welterweight, comparing him to a limp old Royce is ridiculous. Serra should do well against HUghes, and HOpefully KO him cause I want him to retire and go away!

its a shame that we have to wait till April for a silly match up like this. I just want to get it over with already!

by jOhn on Oct 21, 2008 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok Kevin, I looked at their opponents, the only good wins Serra has in his career are against Yves Edwards, Lytle (split), and GSP.

As for Hughes, theres Lytle (uanimous decison, he dominated chris while serra splits), bj, riggs, trigg, gsp, gracie.

I don’t understand how that gives Serra the better chance to win.

by sinister on Oct 21, 2008 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

where in my above post say he had a better chance to win, I picked him, but what I said is he’s fought quality opponents. you forget that he took BJ to a decision, karo (who was out( lasted to a decision. look at his overall competition.
Gracie is old and never evolved
trigg sucks
BJ was killing hughes (for the second time) before the fluke rib injury
GSP destoyed him…twice
anything else???

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 21, 2008 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn Sinister.. ur hating on Serra hard body!!

He is a gritty, heavy handed, legitjits.. MMA fighter.. he brings the best of himself everytime he steps into the cage.. IMO.. he should be with the 155’rs.. John.. basically broke it down.. if your thinking this fight will be anything like the Royce/Hughes fight.. oh man… I don’t know man.. I can not agree with at all on this topic.

Hughes.. the cat is out the bag.. he stand up.. in my french accent.. is " Garbage ".. His Wrestling.. and his top game is B+ for the UFC fighters. His guard.. basura.. which is Garbage is esponal.. His Mauy .. is Lixo.. which is Garbage in Portugese.

by PhilQNY on Oct 21, 2008 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you think Serra will get beat down you are crazy. His stand up is better than Hughes.
His Jits is better than Hughes.
He has been stopped by GSP and a fluke by Shonie, thats it.

Hughes was on top of his game and GSP was crap in their first fight. The GSP that Serra beat was MUCH MUCH better than the one Hughes fought.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Serra if he can keep the fight on the feet, Hughes has lost a lot on his takedowns. But if Hughes can repeatedly take him down I can’t see Serra pulling off a submission from the bottom. I don’t see Hughes being able to finish Serra, the only way he wins is by decision. I think that regardless of the outcome of this fight, Matt Hughes will retire afterward. I think he knows his time is done, and this fight is the only thing that’s keeping him going.

by GregC on Oct 21, 2008 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just don’t get the hype about Matt Serra. Since Kevin broke down and degraded all of Hughes’ wins inside the octagon, I will proceed to break down Matt Serra’s wins:

GSP- destroyed him.
Lytle- hugged him against the fence and won a split. I was going for Serra in that fight and thought he lost that.
IvanMenjavar/JeffCurran- we can use either “Sucks” or “never evolved” here.
Kelly Dullanty- big win here
Yves Edwards- Majority Decision

BTW, in GSP/Hughes 3, Georges had a hard time damaging Matt on the ground. Hughes was able to get guard back a lot, and had a lock down on him when he was mounted by George. His defensive ground game is top notch. As is his offensive. Hughes’ stand up does suck, no problem saying that, cause it does.

Lets look at Serra’s skills in the same way Phil here does. Serra’s standup – since when does catching 2 people in your career meant you have great stand up? GSP TAPPED OUT to strikes, he wasn’t knocked out, and Serra landed how many clean strikes straight to the head and chin? Serra’s ground game? sure his a bjj black belt. but that has translated into only once tapping a guy in the UFC. his wrestling? psh! oh, and Serra’s Muay Thai may be just as good as Hughes. At least Hughes throws some head kicks (Trigg/Riggs, maybe others)

by sinister on Oct 21, 2008 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So Hughes has a top notch ground game (offense and defense), and sucks standing up.

Serra has top notch Jits (offense and defense), and is better standing.

Hughes is getting older by the day, and thus is slower, less explosive on the take down. Serra is not any slower.

All this points to either Serra winning by catching a sub, or by (T)KO. Or Hughes riding it out and getting the decision, or GNP.

I’m sorry but I like Serra’s chances here. Hughes is not as good at takedowns as he was, I think Serra can keep it standing and win. Plus if it goes to the ground I think his Jits is good enough to win/neutralize Hughes.

It will come down to, can hughes take him serra down?

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sinister, I hate to become part of the posse but man, Serra takes this one, for all the reasons everyone else typed and I do not want to repeat.

For some reason, these two have never collided and I think it is because Serra was recognised some time ago as a threat that could break Hughes’ reign.

by DJ on Oct 21, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I’m glad I can bring everyone here together and on one side. lol.

But DJ, they never fought before because Serra fought at 155 in the UFC, and only came up to 170 when they shut down the LW division, and for TUF 4.

And I highly doubt they saw him as a threat against a prime Hughes. If they thought he would be a threat a whole weight class above him, then why didn’t they give him a LW title shot?

by Sinister on Oct 21, 2008 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

How is Serra’s BJJ considered so great. I don’t care who he got his black belt under, the fact remains that he hasn’t submitted a soul in years. He didn’t finish one of his fights on TUF, and the real injury that he is recovering from is in his anus, from the royal raping that GSP gave him in the last fight. Yeah, he finished GSP in that first fight, but I got a better chance of having sex with Jessica Simpson on the 50 yard line during a Cowboy’s game than Serra has of ever beating GSP again.

by naturalshadow on Oct 21, 2008 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i could watch hughes get ko’d over and over again!!!

by allamerican on Oct 21, 2008 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does anyone really care about this fight. Really……doe sit mean anything except revenge. neither one will ever be a player again. They might make it on the video game or be labeled a gatekeeper. Maybe even fight Kimbo. Gina would kick their a$$es.

by Brian "Leben's Chin #1" on Oct 21, 2008 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

serra es mejor que hughes carajo ……el dia de la pelea se daran cuenta quien es el mejor

by new fighter on Feb 12, 2009 9:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Im surprised Serra was willing to wait this long for the fight with Hughes.

by c-war on Oct 21, 2008 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You have to think after his fight with GSP, Serra was injured and he also wanted to take his wife out on a hunnymoon, so that took up about 2 months, then him trying to heal up took him a bit as well.

But Serra will not fight for one year if this is set in April, and Hughes would be 10 Months.. Crazy stuff, I give the advantage to Hughes.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Oct 21, 2008 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Serra waited this long because he knows this is the only fight where he’ll be on the main card. This is his big payday before his name is forgotten and fighting anybody else is risky because if he loses, then the Hughes fight gets watered down even more. I also think Hughes will take this one but I am a huge Hughes fan so its a biased opinion.

by Cogito Ergo Sum on Oct 21, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually think that Serra will drop down to 155 after this. He would be a much bigger force at 155.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Serra has said he can’t make it down to 155 so that won’t happen. He’ll toil at the bottom of most top 20 welterweight lists.

by NameNotRequired on Oct 21, 2008 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Isn’t he ranked in the top 10 in alot of lists? And wouldn’t a win here move him up that list? He is a legit top ten fighter, like him or not; especially when it comes to the UFC.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why dont both hughes and serra should not even consider training for this fight because they do, one will get injured. they should just show up that day and live normal live up until then.

by bradpittfightclub on Oct 21, 2008 11:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

lol, thats funny, and I agree c-war, you kknow he’s ready to retire and teach considering.

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 21, 2008 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree brad, one of these guys will get injured, and ruin the fight. they should fight in december while the blood is still hot.

Anyone think they will hug at the end?

by Stryker on Oct 21, 2008 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If this fight is a main event I will puke, unless it’s free on Spike. There’s not a lot of hype that can be generated after waiting this long.

by VNDK8 on Oct 21, 2008 11:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Truth.

by OJR on Oct 21, 2008 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It probably wont be the main event. That will probably be Mir/Nog v. Couture/Lesnar with Hughes/Serra co-main eventing it.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Oct 21, 2008 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hughes will just dominate Serra with takedown after takedown anf g’n’p
Anyone think Serra could shed the bounds and drop to lightweight?
I think he’d have better match ups at that level just loose some muscle mass

by IrishKev on Oct 21, 2008 11:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WHO CARES ABOUT THIS STUPID FIGHT??? IT’S A HAS-BEEN VERSUS A NEVER-SHOULD-BEEN!!!

by anderson silva rules on Oct 21, 2008 11:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you guys need to go look up a fight tracker. I know some of you guys never watched mma before TUF, but you do realize Serra has fought top competition, and taken guys that no one takes to a decision, to a decision!

by kevin (most moderated guy on mmamania) on Oct 21, 2008 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DUDE! he took BJ Penn to a decision once, and BJ went to the judges 6 times in his career! thats got to be who you are talking about. unless you mean taking Karo Parisyan, Chris Lytle, Jeff Curran and Ivan Menjavar to decisions, which all have been to the scorecards over 10 times! GAHD!

by sinister on Oct 21, 2008 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not really doubting Serra’s ability, I just don’t think he’s gonna be able to beat Hughes with Hughes strenght
He CAN knock him out and thats been proven (see GSP) but like Bisping dropped to Middleweight, I think he’d be better suited at lightweight if he wanted another run at a title but thats if he could make the cut

by IrishKev on Oct 21, 2008 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Serra is the biggest joke in the UFC. He fights once every year its pathetic.

by PencilPusher on Oct 21, 2008 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am curious to see how you feel about Randy Couture?

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think this should be a good fight. im going with serra to take the w. 2nd round ko. he’s got some heavy hands on the end of those stumps he calls arms! hopefully this fight happens before hughes is a senior citizan!(or one of them gets injured during training again) i cant stand either of them.

by allamerican on Oct 21, 2008 12:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hughes has deteriorated to the point that i dont think he can beat any of the top 10 ww’s in the ufc. if hughes cant get serra on his back, he will get koed. if he does get serra on his back, serra has his jits to back him up. hughes hasnt evolved any and serra is definetly more well rounded. hughes isnt nearly as explosive with his takedowns and thats all he ever had. i guess its easy to tell that im going with serra in this one. the hopefully he will go back down to lw where he belongs.

by b.w. on Oct 21, 2008 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I really don’t care too much about this fight, IMO I think Serra wins this and Hughes shuts up and goes home. Worst case scenario for me is Hughes looses and instead of going home Dana decides to give him a job as a commentator or something so we have to see him over and over again and if that’s the case I rather see him win so we only see him once or twice a year.

by TKO on Oct 21, 2008 1:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don’t want to see the BS leading up to this fight about “The most dominate welterweight ever” crap.

War Serra.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 1:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Exactly. That line is to funny.

by Adam on Oct 21, 2008 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hughes is the most dominate ww of all time. If u cant admitt that then u shouldn’t even be a mma fan. all u guys need to give hughes some respect. hes one of the biggest legends in the sport and has dominated anybody whos anybody in the division. Stop being a hughes hater and give some respect to the greatest ufc champ of all time. he’ll fuck serra up

by gfoltz on Oct 25, 2008 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

im a hughes fan. hughes has got older, but he is also one of the greatest ww to step into the ufc.. I think he’s going to bring his a grade to this fight. I think Serra overrated. Look at Hughes and Serra records. Hughes has a hell of alot more wins than Serra. Serra should go to Pride.. That were pussy belong.. Hughes is going to kick the crap out of Serra….

by james on Apr 17, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have lost alot of interest in this fight. But is it a very maketable fight.

by belfort_fan on Oct 21, 2008 1:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I have Serra in this too. He is way stronger than Hughes. Now, not back in the day. I really wish that this fight already happened tho. It really reminds me of two old men that get hurt every time they train. haha

It really does tho, even tho Serra isnt all that old. He still gets hurt alot. Both of these guys have huge egos that forces them to train way too hard. Then of course they get hurt and cant do anything for another year or whatever.

Should be entertaining regardless.

by enzo-enormous on Oct 21, 2008 1:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hughes will win this one most likely by ground and pound in the in the later rounds. Serra seems to gas quickly and his hands are only dangerous right off the hop. His take down defense sucks and hughes has done well with other bjj black belts in the past in top position. Hughes wins either by ground and pound in the later rounds or by decision. Hopefully both fighters retire, hughes is washed up and should go out with a win and I really don’t enjoy watching serra fight.

by nathan on Oct 21, 2008 1:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think matt hueghes is an idiot. He is not a good fighter and never was. He has never beat any top guy accept for joyce and by then he was far passed his prime. Hughes is a cocky farmer. He has no MMA skills accept lay n pray but only against guys that dont have his streangh. Guy is an idiot.

by What?? on Oct 21, 2008 1:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

what?? dude. i dont like hughes that much either but you cant say that he never beat anybody who was a “top guy”. he’s an idiot, but hes still somewhat of a legend to the sport. he was doin this shit before you or me even knew what it was and has something like, 50 fights. you gotta give him some kind of credit. idiot, yes. but you gotta give him a little bit of respect if you really are an mma fan.

by allamerican on Oct 21, 2008 2:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Many good points here. You can see it now when Hughes fights, its like he almost doesn’t want to shoot in. I think he knows the sport past him by, he lost some quickness, and he just wants to teach but his ego won’t let it go. I say that out of respect for him. In his prime I dont think Serra could beat him, but now I do.

Also,if Hughes is just healing from a bad knee injury now, how long is he giving himself to train for this specific fight? He’s making the same mistake he did with Thiago. His ego wants a win REAL bad.

by Damn on Oct 21, 2008 3:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

LOL, he is treading the thin line between Royce Gracie (1 or 2 fights too many) and Ken Shamrock (10 fights too many).

If he stops after this he will go out like a champion/future hall of famer. If he keeps fighting he will go out like Shamrock.

by mike on Oct 21, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

GSP picks serra to win this fight. How can you argue with that?

by Noel on Oct 21, 2008 5:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This is a fight that should have happened long long ago. Now GSP has exposed both of these guys and made them look stupid. I guess they will have to hype the crap out of this match and/or get a better group surrounding it to make it sell.

They can both trash talk all they want. They are both in Club Irrelevant…

by JohnnyQ48 on Oct 21, 2008 7:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

When this fight was first schedualed I thought it was an easy win for Hughes. Now though it appears he lost a step. It’s hard to call a guy washed up after getting beat by two of the sport’s best (GSP & Alves), but it appears the unbeatable Matt Hughes of old is long gone. Serra definatley has the supperior striking and probibly has the better jits as well. Though I really don’t see Serra knocking out or submitting Hughes. I don’t think the submission is likely beceause Hughes is very skilled on the ground and even though Serra is better than him Hughes has the skills and the power to avoid the submission. I don’t think a Serra KO is likely either. Hughes will definatley go for the early takedown and will likely get it. I see this fight taking place on the ground and probibly not being finished by either fighter. It boils down to the question can Serra win a decision on his back? Not likely. I’ve got Hughes by split decision.

by DB on Oct 21, 2008 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This fight makes me sad

by PP on Oct 21, 2008 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

they both 2 losers trying 2 stay a live matt hughes is done n serra should b 155 so fuck em

by Bongo on Oct 22, 2008 12:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

matt highes is gona eat his own words that f redneck

by Bongo on Oct 22, 2008 12:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hughes wins by tko via gnp…. EVERYTIME.. im even willing to bet that bitch serra will tap to the gnp

by matt on Dec 20, 2008 6:11 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes Hughes has lost a step and the sport has evolved to the point where it is dominated by super athletes like GSP and BJ Penn. But Serra is highly overrated and happened to land a huge shot on GSP, thats part of the game. Just like when Hughes caught GSP in an armbar when GSP was obviously winning the first fight. Its MMA and anything can happen to anyone. But no one can question Hughes toughness.Very few fighters could have taken the beatings he took from GSP and Thiago as long he did. Serra doesnt have anywhere near the striking abilities that either of them possess. Also there is an old saying that goes “every great fighter has one great fight left in him” no one can take away from Hughes he was one of the guys that got this started give the guy some respect. Hughes chokes him out in the first or second round. Serra is a prick anyway.

by Derek on Dec 23, 2008 11:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs