Serra to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame
Dana White: “Matt Serra is one of the most underrated mixed martial artists in UFC history.”
The UFC just announced that former UFC welterweight champion and winner of TUF 4 Matt Serra has been named to the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2018, in the Pioneer wing. The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 5, in Las Vegas; the event is part of the 7th Annual UFC International Fight Week.
Matt Serra is one of the most underrated mixed martial artists in UFC history, said UFC President Dana White. From winning the Ultimate Fighter, to becoming UFC welterweight champion with one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, and now coaching some of the sports top athletes, Matt’s lifelong dedication to combat sports is legendary. Matt fought on the second UFC event under Zuffa ownership in 2001, and today, he helps us find new and exciting talent, while also co-hosting UFC Unfiltered. Serra is a true pioneer, and we look forward to celebrating his career at the UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in July.
Serra, the first American to earn a black belt from Renzo Gracie, went 11-7 over eleven years; career wins include welterweight G.O.A.T. Georges St-Pierre and UFC Hall of Famer Frank Trigg. Since retiring from the Octagon in 2013, Serra has become a leading coach. Members of Team Serra-Longo include former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, UFC lightweight Al Iaquinta, UFC light heavyweight Gian Villante, and UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling.
This is an honor to say the least, said Serra. I turned professional in 1999, during the dark ages when MMA was almost finished in the US. I didn’t become a mixed martial artist because there was a ton of money and fame to be had – there was none back then. I began competing in MMA because I love the sport, and that took me all the way to the UFC championship, and, now the UFC Hall of Fame. I love the sport as much as I ever did, and I couldn’t be happier or more honored right now.
There are three criteria for the Pioneer designation:
•Turned professional before the unified rules were adopted on November 17, 2000;
•Mminimum age of 35; or
•Retired for over one year.
Further 2018 inductees to the class of 2018 will be announced in the following weeks. The induction ceremony will stream live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass. To view Serra’s UFC FIGHT PASS collection please visit UFC.tv.