Sherdog’s Top 10: Moments When Titles Changed Hands

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1. Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre
UFC 69 “Shootout”
April 7, 2007 | Houston

It was a monumental moment that became MMA’s parallel to James “Buster” Douglas’ knockout of Mike Tyson in boxing. Serra’s unthinkable stoppage of St. Pierre remains the signature championship upset in MMA history. Virtually no one, save for Serra and his camp, thought “The Terror” even belonged in the same cage with the Canadian.

Serra had just won Season 4 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” and his reward was a date with St. Pierre. They met in Houston in the headlining slot at UFC 69. Serra was aggressive from the start, his nothing-to-lose approach apparent for everyone watching. St. Pierre willfully engaged the Renzo Gracie-trained black belt on the feet but never established a rhythm. Out of nowhere, Serra fired a wild overhand right that crash landed behind the champion’s ear and buckled his knees. The underdog charged in for the kill, and though St. Pierre tried to withstand the onslaught, another right hand put him on the canvas. Serra then unloaded with standing-to-ground punches on the woozy favorite, his relentless volley forcing referee John McCarthy to act. Soon after, UFC President Dana White was strapping the welterweight belt to Serra’s waist.

A back injury kept Serra on the sidelines for the next year, and he never successfully defended the title. He surrendered it in rematch with St. Pierre at UFC 83, lost two of his next three bouts and retired. St. Pierre never again tasted defeat and went on to establish himself as the greatest welterweight of all-time. Still, for one night, Serra was the better man.