Breaking news:Matt Serra Out...Hughes to fight GSP on Dec 29th

Bo Malicious

Source

- http://www.matt-hughes.com/blog/2007/11/24/breaking-news/#comments

Its from the man himself. I cant believe it to be honest and probably wont until I hear something from GSP and the UFC confirming this. Been a mixed reaction on other forums - what you guys think?

Its an interim title fight apparently. If Serra doesnt defend by April apprently he gets stripped - so this fight will be a 5 rounder.

Personally I think its an advantage for Hughes that he fight GSP now - he has been training intensly for Serra - obivously GSP was busting his balls training also but is 5 weeks enough notice to put everything on hold (personally) to go up against someone as formidable as Hughes. I think GSP could take Hughes any day of the week but I would rather there be no excuses after they fight.

GSP also comes across as a consumate professional - Hughes and Serra could probably learn a thing or two from him esp if any of you have got the chance to see this seasons TUF.

Regardless - between this fight and the PBF v Hatton fight - December is looking good!

Fozzy

It's on UFC's site: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=8811

It had been reported that Jon Fitch or Thiago Alves would be asked to fight Hughes in December. Fitch said that he wouldn't be available though. It looks like the UFC want to make this end of year card something big, especially as it features one of the TUF coaches

I think it's a smart decision, although it hadn't been discussed much. Serra says that he's hoping Hughes wins, and I do too, although if Hughes loses I'm sure we'll still get a Serra vs Hughes fight within a year

Bo Malicious wrote:

GSP also comes across as a consumate professional - Hughes and Serra could probably learn a thing or two from him esp if any of you have got the chance to see this seasons TUF.

I'm not sure about that. GSP is a very professional and respectful guy, but I think Serra is too. Hughes is a bit of an egomaniac and he's been taking everything out on his team on TUF when they've lost and he's gone so hard on them that he's ended up sending some of them in to fight injured. Serra's coaching is all about encouraging guys, which is a much better approach I think. Sure, he doesn't like Hughes, but I don't blame him!

goo

I think this is mental, Dana's got a thing for interim titles.
There's a good chance we might not see Serra - Hughes now which I was really looking forward to.

merlinsmerryman

Very clever move by Dana, seetting up this fight. No other option really to keep momentum going into the last UFC of the year. The last UFC (Evans v Bisping) was a very poor showing but this one has the makings of something special. The match years in the making Chuck v Wanderlai and now Hughes v GSP for the interim title. The first of a definate 2 possibly 3 (depending on Randy) interim title fights. Definately going to be worth watching the next view pay per views.

goo

I don't think there's any talk of an interim Heavyweight belt, if Randy doesn't come back he's stripped of his title.

I doubt we'll ever get to see Serra vs Hughes for a title now. maybe when GSP beats both they may fight but I cant see GSP losing to either man again. However GSP is fighting on 4 weeks notice so im a bit worried for him.

Nothingcompares

Original poster makes a very good point I had over looked before about interim title fights - they're 5 rounds as opposed to 3 rounds long. This could severely effect BJ Penns likelihood of beating JOey Stevenson. If Joey can survive into the final rounds, he could be able to beat a gassed BJ.

goo

Deleted User wrote: »

However GSP is fighting on 4 weeks notice so im a bit worried for him.

At least one of the blogs said he was injured too.

Nothingcompares

Nothingcompares wrote: »

Original poster makes a very good point I had over looked before about interim title fights - they're 5 rounds as opposed to 3 rounds long. This could severely effect BJ Penns likelihood of beating JOey Stevenson. If Joey can survive into the final rounds, he could be able to beat a gassed BJ.

I think it affects BJ's fight for sure, if BJ doesnt win in the first 2 rounds he could be in trouble. However by all accounts he's a lot more professional about his physical well being in the past year so curious to see if he goes the distance.


I dont think cardio will be a problem for GSP, i cant remember ever seeing him gas so im sure he'll be ok.

Bo Malicious

Fozzy> I hear ya and I do like Serra despite his annoying voice. However, I thought his constant jibes/impressions of/at Hughes were border line immature and unprofessional. Granted this is a personal dislike but I guess in professional sports your going to have all types of personalitys (Serra) and egos (Hughes) - which arguably makes it all the more entertaining for viewers/fans...

Having had the last 24 hours to think about this Im not sure why Hughes agreed to this fight. He was delighted that Serra won - and he seems to have everything to loose in fighting GSP.

Regardless its seems like a graet pay per view - particularly compared to the last one - and the Irish one. Good business move by Dana...

On a side note - what you guys think of the UFC commentary? Im a fan of it usually - Rogan I find entertaining - yet at the last UFC the commentary on the whole card - particularly Evans/Bisping was incredibly biased.

O'Leprosy

Fozzy wrote: »

GSP is a very professional and respectful guy, but I think Serra is too. Hughes is a bit of an egomaniac and he's been taking everything out on his team on TUF when they've lost and he's gone so hard on them that he's ended up sending some of them in to fight injured. Serra's coaching is all about encouraging guys, which is a much better approach I think. Sure, he doesn't like Hughes, but I don't blame him!

Respect bro, but I do'nt know how the f**k anyone could describe Serra as a " respectful guy ". Bitchy, sh1tmouth would be better, he must have something stuck up his butt with a voice like that. As for the coaching, leading 6 - 2, well you can'nt argue with that. Can'nt remember which fights, but some of the judging was'nt exactly great, with Dana also saying so.

dunkamania

Bo Malicious wrote: »

yet at the last UFC the commentary on the whole card - particularly Evans/Bisping was incredibly biased.

What do you mean?

big loss for UFC,they spent a whole TUF series promoting this fight,not too mention putting the welterweight divisio on hold,now its not gonna happen.

I dont get why hughes is taking on GSP,if he wins, he isnt the champion, if he loses it will be ages b4 next title shot.Maybe he got a alot of money for it,or he figures he can take on an underprepared GSP and win.

Frank Bullitt

This division is really starting to look like a joke, and im getting sick of all this interm crap.

goo

O'Leprosy wrote: »

As for the coaching, leading 6 - 2, well you can'nt argue with that.

I really doubt which team people are on has much to do with who wins and who loses their fights, except I guess in circumstances where Ken Shamrock's guys were in worse condition, or in this series where Matt Hughes kept beating his lads up. I think the biggest influence the coaches have on who wins and who oses is who they pick to be on their team, and what fights they pick.

Bo Malicious

I think marketability are driving these match-ups and sometimes its fair on the fighters and sometimes its not.

dunkmania> on occasions, more so lately it feels like the commentators (not Randy really but Goldberg and Rogan) are told to try and 'sell' a fighter more during the fight.

Its like when their guy is falling behind or fighting like sh*t they gloss over this preferring to tout there one and only punch per round as making up for this lackluster performance. Chucks last fight is a good example of this.

I guess im saying the UFC has a vested interest in a select few of their fighters and its interesting when you notice how they treat them in the match-ups/selection process.

Sometimes, if there popular/ or could be popular they are given easier fights then their less popular fighters. For example: Anderson Silva - my favourite fighter - is dynamic and exciting to watch. As he doesnt have great English I feel he and others like him will always have more to prove. I mean I dont get what purpose Frankin versus Anderson Silva II served other then to give Franklin (the UFC posterboy) another shot. The first fight was hardly a controversial win. I cant see the UFC getting behind Silva and am not that surprised that henderson has been given a title fight with him - his second, coming off a loss to Rampage! Your only as good as your last fight but in some cases if your marketable you'll be grand. Other fighters will, it seems, have everything against them.

Thats part of the reason why I like GSP - he has to go up against all of this and does so with dignity.

Rant over...:D

Fozzy

O'Leprosy wrote: »

Respect bro, but I do'nt know how the f**k anyone could describe Serra as a " respectful guy ". Bitchy, sh1tmouth would be better, he must have something stuck up his butt with a voice like that.

He comes across to me as a friendly, respectful guy who stands up for what he believes in. On the TUF series that Serra was fighting on, I can't remember exactly what happened, but Hughes joined up with them for a meal or something and I was thinking to myself that he was being a bit of an arse. Serra thought that too and he said somethin to Hughes about it. I know he's not respectful to everyone, but he's more than respectful to the people who deserve it. Hughes always has these underhand comments which are far more disrespectful in my book

The Wrestling Observer reported that GSP's people were on the phone to Dana as soon as they heard about Serra's injury. I suppose Hughes couldn't really back away from the fight then

Fozzy

Bo Malicious wrote: »

I think marketability are driving these match-ups and sometimes its fair on the fighters and sometimes its not.

dunkmania> on occasions, more so lately it feels like the commentators (not Randy really but Goldberg and Rogan) are told to try and 'sell' a fighter more during the fight.

Its like when their guy is falling behind or fighting like sh*t they gloss over this preferring to tout there one and only punch per round as making up for this lackluster performance. Chucks last fight is a good example of this.

I guess im saying the UFC has a vested interest in a select few of their fighters and its interesting when you notice how they treat them in the match-ups/selection process.

Sometimes, if there popular/ or could be popular they are given easier fights then their less popular fighters. For example: Anderson Silva - my favourite fighter - is dynamic and exciting to watch. As he doesnt have great English I feel he and others like him will always have more to prove. I mean I dont get what purpose Frankin versus Anderson Silva II served other then to give Franklin (the UFC posterboy) another shot. The first fight was hardly a controversial win. I cant see the UFC getting behind Silva and am not that surprised that henderson has been given a title fight with him - his second, coming off a loss to Rampage! Your only as good as your last fight but in some cases if your marketable you'll be grand. Other fighters will, it seems, have everything against them.

Thats part of the reason why I like GSP - he has to go up against all of this and does so with dignity.

Rant over...:D

Well, that's the thing. The UFC is a profit driven company, as all businesses should be. In a fight between a highly talented guy and a highly marketable guy, it's in the UFC's interest for the marketable guy to win. Look at Houston Alexander vs Thiago Silva. The fans were going crazy for Alexander, he could have legitimately headlined a PPV next year and it would have done well. He was a marketable guy. Thiago is less marketable to the main UFC audience, and he's probably going to find it hard to get a title shot when he's got some of the other guys in that division with him

It's why guys like Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell are always going to have a spot on the card despite their performances (to an extent), as long as they're on terms with management

I've got no complaints about it though, before Zuffa came in the UFC was going nowhere

Valmont

speaking of welterweights who else wants to see parysian vs. fitch?

dunkamania

I am hearing that Matt Hughes requested GSP because he didnt want to face him in Canada.Makes sense, if you think home field advantage is that important, but I would have thought GSP was more popular everywhere except the midwest.


I like Serra,he has shown solid coaching skills, he got a lot of his weaker fighters through the first round, but I would never call him respectful.


As far as commentators with agendas, UFC is a business, they sell fights.

Colm_OReilly

The UFC is a profit driven company, as all businesses should be.

To go slightly OT, I think this is over simplified. I've no problem with a porfit driven company, but I believe they should do it in a sustainable way without screwing people over. Life isn't zero sum.

As far as commentators with agendas, UFC is a business, they sell fights.

I find it funny how each show they seem more and more out of their heads. Goldberg talks such beautiful non sense all the time, it's brilliant.

Bo Malicious

Colm_OReilly>'Goldberg talks such beautiful non sense all the time, it's brilliant.' --- haha I love it!

in the fight recently between Ryo Chonan and Karo Parisyan - Chonan did a really good job at neutralising Karos game. Im a huge fan of mma and while I dont practice anymore and would be the first to admit Im hardly an expert I really enjoy commentators that can give good insight to mma (particularly the ground game). During the fight mentioned above Chonan consistently was going for short arm locks on Karo - something I hadnt seen other fighters do and frustrated Karo yet the UFC massive didnt really highlight anything Chonan was doing. Sometimes its entertaining but sometimes its frustrating and I end up rooting for the underdog because of it...maybe I should just turn the sound off! :-)

Valmont> I think Fitch is an exciting fighter - seems really well rounded. I was a huge fan of Karo - but he seems to have difficulty actually finishing his opponents. His judo skills are entertaining though and this would have all the makings of a great fight. Tend to think their ground game is on a different level to many UFC fighters and perhaps in a fight against each other - they could neutralise each other. Im suggesting that it would be who has the better stand-up would take it - and of late - Karo has struggled to dominate in this area so I would give Fitch the edge.

I want to see GSP against Anderson Silva - man, anything could happen in that fight!:)

Fozzy

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

I find it funny how each show they seem more and more out of their heads.

Funny you should say that, because Joe Rogan was on some radio show a couple of weeks before the last UFC event talking about how much dope he smokes and how often he does acid and a whole list of other drugs. At least he's not competing

Bo Malicious wrote:

in the fight recently between Ryo Chonan and Karo Parisyan - Chonan did a really good job at neutralising Karos game. Im a huge fan of mma and while I dont practice anymore and would be the first to admit Im hardly an expert I really enjoy commentators that can give good insight to mma

Chonan did do very well, Karo couldn't pass his guard for the whole fight and he got swept as well. That might just be down to the commentators being told to push Karo rather than Chonan

dunkamania

lets not forget karo had a broken hand....

goo

Bo Malicious wrote: »

For example: Anderson Silva - my favourite fighter - is dynamic and exciting to watch. As he doesnt have great English I feel he and others like him will always have more to prove. I mean I dont get what purpose Frankin versus Anderson Silva II served other then to give Franklin (the UFC posterboy) another shot. The first fight was hardly a controversial win. I cant see the UFC getting behind Silva and am not that surprised that henderson has been given a title fight with him - his second, coming off a loss to Rampage! Your only as good as your last fight but in some cases if your marketable you'll be grand. Other fighters will, it seems, have everything against them.

Thats part of the reason why I like GSP - he has to go up against all of this and does so with dignity.

Rant over...:D

I agree with you that some fighters, especially fighters that don't speak English or have little English, have a tougher time of it with winning fans over and as a result with getting love from the UFC.

I don't agree with what you're saying in your post though. You mentioned yourself the Hendo - Rampage fight, how's that for your first title defence?? and Page is Mr. Charisma. I'm pretty sure this Silva - Hendo fight has more to do with that division lacking a little in terms of guys who are well known, well loved, and top class and don't forget Hendo still has the Pride belt, so they want to dissolve that in to the UFC one asap.

Franklin beat MacDonald and got a decision over Okami, and considering his popularity, of course they gave him another go at Anderson.