Matt Serra took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with Sprawl about life after one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. In this Sprawl interview Matt talks about his dominant performance over GSP, his future, and much more.
SPRAWL: Congratulations on your victory over GSP and winning the Welterweight title.
MS: Thank you man, very happy about it.
SPRAWL: How has your life changed since becoming the UFC Welterweight Champion?
MS: Man I’ll tell you, I said it before and I’ll say it again, it doesn’t suck. It’s a very exciting time. I’ve been in the game for a while and it felt like everything led up to that. I couldn’t be happier. I’m looking forward to my future fights and coaching on the Ultimate Fighter season 6, so there’s a lot of exciting things going on in my life.
SPRAWL: When you hit him with that first right hand that put him on queer street it seemed that despite not having his legs under him he kept trying to come back at you, which made him easier to hit. Did GSP’s lack of experience of being in that type of situation work to your advantage? Did it make it easier to finish him?
MS: Yeah his legs weren’t exactly under him. He was trying to hang in there and fire back, but you know I had my wits about me. I didn’t want to rush anything. I wanted to pick my shots and that’s how it went down. If he would have pulled guard or something I would have been on him just as quick. When you have someone hurt like that you want to stay on him and put him away.
SPRAWL: You have won most of your fights on the ground. Were you shocked when you hurt him so early in the fight with punches?
MS: I wasn’t surprised because I have hurt people in sparring with 16 oz. gloves and head gear, so I know what I’m capable of. I just haven’t done it in actual fights. I kind of just worked on my jiu-jitsu, but I knew this was the perfect time to switch things up. It’s kind of like when Rocky (Balboa) switched to southpaw against Apollo, it wasn’t a game plan his camp was expecting. I told everyone I was going to come in there and swing with him and that’s what I did. I came in there and shocked the world and made good on my promise.
SPRAWL: Can we expect to see a lot more stand up from Matt Serra in the future?
MS: Yeah you can expect a lot more of that combined with jiu-jitsu. For instance, I’ll be fighting Matt Hughes next. I think after I light him up a little bit. You know he says he always wants to stand, but I’m sure he will take me down or attempt to take me down. If it goes that way my jiu-jitsu is definitely going to be where it's suppose to be to −where it will make him want to run out of the guard.
SPRAWL: Do you think your win over GSP is the biggest upset in MMA history?
MS: I think it definitely is, without a doubt. How could it not be? He destroyed Matt Hughes, and then I took him out worse than he took out Matt. I’m happy about it. Matt Hughes is next.
SPRAWL: Since your victory have you seen an increase in enrollment at your two schools?
MS: O yeah, I definitely have. It’s just positive everywhere I go. I feel everyone in Long Island has my back.
SPRAWL: You got the call to be the coach on the next Ultimate Fighter against your rival Matt Hughes. Can we expect this to be one of the most controversial seasons ever?
MS: No, I mean I’m just myself. I’m not going to be Ken Shamrock and have guys hold me back. I’m going to speak my mind; I’m sure he is going to speak his and I think that alone will make it interesting. He is basically a bully and he won’t be able to bully me. I mean he can try, but I will just tell him to go f--k himself. So I’m interested to see how it’s going to go down also. I’m just loving this ride I’m on. I’m enjoying every second of it, and you know were going to take this as far as we can go, and were going to give a lot of people trouble man.
SPRAWL: When does filming start?
MS: June 7.
SPRAWL: Will you be fighting Matt on the season finale?
MS: No. We will be fighting on a pay per view. Yeah man, I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great challenge, because no matter what I think of him as a person, in the cage he’s a very tough individual. And you know you’re measured by who you fight, and I’m looking forward to that challenge just like I was looking forward to GSP. People said I was crazy when I fought him and I’m sure there will be naysayers when I fight Matt Hughes. I’m looking to prove them wrong also.
SPRAWL: What was it like to overcome such a challenge when virtually no one is giving you a chance?
MS: Man let me tell you it’s unbelievable. I couldn’t even describe it. Cloud 9. It’s not a feeling you can bottle up. You just won the championship of the world. You beat a guy that’s suppose to be an MMA God – the future of the sport – and you took him apart in the area that you weren’t that much respected in. So you know you could not have scripted it any better. It just went that smooth. I might still be waiting for it to hit me. It’s important to stay the same guy you always are and not get caught up in anything and that’s how I am. I just have a good time with my students, my girl, and my family. I just like to fight and I get paid for it.
SPRAWL: You were at UFC 70. How was your trip to the UK?
MS: Oh man, the fans were unbelievable. I had a great time! They were as nice as can be. It was amazing walking down the streets of Manchester posing for pictures and this and that. Its crazy you know, there I am on another part of the Earth and I’m being recognized you know, it’s nice. That’s the stuff you know, I’ll never take for granted.
SPRAWL: Did you see highlights of your fight were shown on Sportscenter?
MS: I know I heard it’s the first time they have done that. I was really happy bro.
SPRAWL: How shocked were you when you saw Gonzaga knock out Cro Cop with a right high kick?
MS: When he went in there he looked game. He looked like he was ready to do some damage. I guess nothing really surprises me in the game anymore.
SPRAWL: Luke Cuomo had a nice knockout himself on the under card of UFC 69 what’s next for him?
MS: Um we're going to see what they’re offering. You know Luke is finally fighting the way he has been sparing. His last fight with Josh Haynes was a clinic. I was very happy with that.
SPRAWL: What did you think about Nick Diaz’s fight with Takanori Gomi being over turned for testing positive for marijuana; meanwhile Nevada Athletic Commission hasn’t turned any fights over when fighters have tested positive for steroids?
MS: I think it's total bulls--t! Weed is not a performance enhancer. Its cool man whatever they want to do to penalizing people that’s whatever. I think they should deal more harshly with guys who are cheating with the steroids.
SPRAWL: In the Michael Bisbing vs. Elvis Sinosic fight Elvis hurt Bisbing and then locked in a kimura. Then suddenly he let it go. Did you notice this?
MS: I’m sure he didn’t let it go on purpose. I’m sure he tried to finish it. Bisbing is a tough guy; he got out of it.
SPRAWL: Who do you like in the Liddell vs. Rampage re-match?
MS: I’ll have to go with Chuck on that. He’s just been so on his form lately. When they fought their first fight they were in Japan and Chuck has been on a tear lately. Maybe if the other guy had a few more fights first he could get rid of the kinks, but I think it’s going to be Chuck.
SPRAWL: What’s your take on TUF 5 so far?
MS: I like it. My buddy Nate Diaz is on there. I like the Diaz brothers. They're my type of guys.
SPRAWL: Is there anything you would like to say in closing?
MS: Just check out my website www.serrajitsu.com. Thanks to SPRAWL and all my fans, and there are bigger and better things coming.
