Q&A: Serra Talks St. Pierre

Sherdog.com: Who are some of the strikers that you like to watch? Have you become more of a boxing fans since you became comfortable with the striking game? Is that stuff you've learned to appreciate more?
Serra: I'll watch tapes with Longo. He'll show me tapes on the way this guy is utilizing his jab. Or the way this guy is working the body. More stuff like that. The way Tyson moved in. Different things. We go over a lot of tapes, me and Longo.

Sherdog.com: And what's that like? You just go back-and-forth discussing it or is he showing you stuff?
Serra: He shows me where people are open. That counter right that I hit Karo [Parisyan] with that time, he showed me that it would be there. He's a very smart guy, Longo. I basically just listen to him. It's up to me to pull the plan off, but I'm pretty good like that.

Sherdog.com: How have you taken what he's shown you and things you've worked on in the gym and brought that to the fight? Is that a process you've learned how to do, or did you always feel naturally you could do that?
Serra: No man, I'll tell you, even like when I fought B.J. When I'd shoot in and lift up his leg -- and we knew he was so hard to get down -- I dropped the leg and hit him in the face. It's funny because some of the guys in the gym over at Longo's said "Man, I saw you guys working that same thing. I can't believe it." I was like, "Yeah, well, too bad I lost." My instincts and my awareness are pretty good as a fighter.

Sherdog.com: Clearly. Is that something that runs in the family? Where does that instinct come from?
Serra: I don't know. I got a good awareness. Because of my size, I'm sparring with a lot of guys that have reach on me. I get the better of all these guys. I'm kind of a little ball.

Sherdog.com: When did that take hold? For a long time people looked at you as a jiu-jitsu guy. I know obviously working with Ray you've adapted your striking. But, when did this start coming out of you where you felt it could work in a fight? Was there a certain period when you realized it?
Serra: I would always do it like a jiu-jitsu guy, keep ‘em guessing to at least get respect. Or get from A to B where it didn't look like a "Gracie In Action" tape where you're just trying to get a hold of a guy. That's not going to fly anymore. I always tried to use my striking intelligently. Even my first UFC fight I kicked Shonie Carter (Pictures) right in the head and gave him the wobble legs. Now, it's just seeing the angles, rolling. I just feel good. More importantly, I feel like I can inflict damage; I've done that a lot -- that's with 16-ounce gloves with headgear. That gives me all the confidence in the world when we put those little gloves on. I know I hit the guy, like I'm hitting some of these guys with little gloves, it's gonna be goodnight.

Sherdog.com: How many times have you thought about this fight with St. Pierre?
Serra: I think about it every time I'm sparring. I think about it every time I'm running. When I'm sparring I see that tattoo on his chest. I'm seeing everything. I'm going in there. I'm coming back with my shield on. That's it. That's what gives me peace of mind. That's what makes me smile on the way in, because I know that I'm going somewhere. I'll tell you I never had a fight where I couldn't look at myself in the mirror. I always know I tried to finish, or I fought with courage. I'm a different fighter in that now technically I have more too lose, I feel like I have less to lose. Maybe I'm not making sense. I'm in a good spot right now. I've come real far and everything's paid off. I'm enjoying every second of it. I enjoy the fight. I enjoy the sparring. I enjoy my classes. I'm looking forward to another day in the office.