Serra's been a "terra" long before recent TKO

With the knockout of Georges St. Pierre at UFC 69, Matt "The Terra" Serra (what a cool nickname...) quickly vaulted to the top of UFC recognition, as if this were his first big fight. Most of those who know him, do so through his victory during the fourth installment of "The Ultimate Fighter." However, unlike Michael Bisping, who had fought infrequently and with little attention before his TUF5 win, Serra has been around for a long time. He shouldn't be confused with the youngsters who use the hit reality series to propel them into the spotlight. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened, as many chalked his victory up to an unprepared St. Pierre or a competent fighter who won with his puncher's chance. Little do they know, Serra has been fighting some of the best in the game in a career which dates back to UFC 31. Notable fights include Shonie Carter, Yves Edwards, BJ Penn, Ivan Menjivar, and Karo Parisyan. With his recent win against St. Pierre and his upcoming bout with Matt Hughes, Serra's fight list closely resembles the "Who's Who" of the Welterweight division in the last 10 years. When Serra enters the octagon again in a few months, remember that he's a savvy veteran who deserves respect, not just some lucky puncher praying for a win.