(PRESS RELEASE) -- LAS VEGAS (July 30, 2013) — XYIENCE Xenergy, the official energy drink of the UFC®,announces that on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013 former UFC Welterweight Champion and XYIENCE team athlete Matt Serra will sign autographs for fans at two to Boston retail locations, Market Basket and Shaw’s Supermarket. XYIENCE will also sample its award-winning energy drink Xenergy. The appearances are a part of the mixed martial arts (MMA) fanfare surrounding UFC® on Fox Sports 1: Shogun vs. Sonnen at the TD Garden in Boston beginning Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Market Basket (Map it) 170 Everett Avenue Chelsea, MA 02150
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Shaw’s Supermarket (Map it) 53 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02199
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Serra, who recently retired from fighting, may best be known for his success inside the octagon but the East Meadow, New York native is also an accomplished businessman, coach, mentor and family man. Today, from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training center that he owns in Long Island he works with top UFC athletes including Chris Weidman, Pete Sell and Ultimate Fighter Live Finalist Al Iaquinta.
Serra started his martial arts training at a young age, but in reality has been a fighter since birth. He arrived three months premature and faced developmental challenges that made him an easy target for other children’s taunts. As a result, Serra developed a mental and emotional toughness that contributed to his future success.
By the age of 11, he was studying both kung-fu and karate after his childhood idol Bruce Lee. In the early 1990’s his father introduced him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and encouraged him to train. Serra met legendary teacher Renzo Gracie and in May 2000 earned his black belt, becoming the first American to do so under Gracie, an accomplishment he still regards as a dream come true and his number one achievement as a mixed martial artist.
Early in his professional career, Serra won several titles but it was his impressive second place finish in 2000 at the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships that garnered the attention of the UFC, which later offered him a contract. He earned several honors as a UFC competitor including the Welterweight Champion in Season 4 of The Ultimate Fighter and UFC Welterweight Champion for his impressive TKO of Georges St-Pierre, a fight many consider one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.
Serra and his brother Nick run two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools in their home state of New York. Together the successful businessmen and accomplished athletes train and mentor other rising competitors. Serra believes in giving back to the MMA community by helping up-and-coming fighters, much like his long-time kickboxing coach Ray Longo did for him. Serra trained with the striking expert Longo for nearly twenty years and credits much of his success to their many hours together.
About XYIENCE (pronounced zy-ince) Headquartered in Las Vegas, XYIENCE products are designed to support an active and healthy lifestyle.
Xenergy (pronounced zen-er-gy)
The official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®), Xenergy is the fastest growing brand in its category. The first energy drink created by a nutrition company, Xenergy is a sugar-free, zero-calorie beverage that is made with all-natural flavors and colors. Xenergy energy beverages are available in Frostberry Blast, Cran Razz, Fruit Punch, Mango Guava, Blu Pomegranate, Cherry Lime, Tangerine Twister and Melon Mayhem. The Xenergy energy family also includes: Xenergy + Lemonade Pineapple and Raspberry and Xenergy + Tea Honey Ginseng and Raspberry Acai. Xenergy + Hydration Grape and Tropical Punch are non-caffeinated beverages fortified with electrolytes and a blend of B vitamins.
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