Fightin' Words

Apologies for the technical glitch with the video the last time we posted the Matt Serra-Georges St. Pierre post-fight press conference. But we learned about it on Sunday's drive home from Montreal, and well, that's not exactly a short drive down the street and the wireless router doesn't fit in the lighter.

But alas, here's the video again and you should be able to view all three minutes and 15 seconds of it this time. If not, call your local cable provider.

Here is some post-fight video of an interview we had with Matt Serra after his fight with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 83 in Montreal. Enjoy.

Hey. Check out my fight story from Montreal as Georges St. Pierre TKO'd UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

Thanks for reading.

-- Joe

By Joe Fernandez

No surprises here.

Montreal's Georges St. Pierre entered the Octagon receiving unending love from the sold-out crowd of 22,000-plus and UFC welterweight champion came out to the Octagon cascaded by boos.

First round has to go to St. Pierre. He had two big takedowns against the champ, which ignited this crowd. Then the interim champion punched away inside Serra's guard. The welterweight champion survived but has a big bruise on his right eye.

Second round: This is the St. Pierre that is unstoppable. This is the St. Pierre that is the new welterweight champion. After taking down and pounding away on Serra's face and body, referee Yves Lavigne jumped in and stopped the fight with 17 seconds left in the second round as St. Pierre wins back the title.

I've never heard a crowd get this loud in my life.

Stay tuned for the fight story and the quotes.

By Joe Fernandez

First round went to Travis Lutter as Rich Franklin escaped a first-round armbar attempt, but couldn't stop the takedown. But Franklin was able to stuff the shot in the second and keep the fight on the feet. He picked apart his gassed opponent and eventually knocked Lutter down to the mat and earned the second-round TKO.

The main event is up next.

By Joe Fernandez

Boring first round. Starnes was back-pedaling like a free safety covering a post pattern. Quarry landed some kicks to the left leg of Starnes, but that's it. Just like I said in my pre-fight predictions, I was wondering why this fight was getting such good play. It's two fights away from the main event. I know Starnes is from Canada but come on.

Second round: Like Maverick in the second act of "Top Gun," Starnes just won't engage. This fight is actually spawning "GSP" and "Boring" jeers from the sold-out crowd. They're standing there jabbing, while Quarry throws an occasional kick to Starnes' left leg. To the third round...

Third round: The last 24 seconds of this fight were the best. Quarry, chasing his middleweight opponent around the Octagon, began to mock Starnes by jogging after him. Starnes in turn gave Quarry the middle finger. By the end of the fight, Quarry actually won over the Canadian crowd and after he earned the unanimous decision victory, delivered a wonderful monologue from "Rocky IV," in which Rocky Balboa addresses the Soviet crowd -- hysterical.

By Joe Fernandez

The lightning knees didn't seem to bother Charles McCarthy at the beginning of the round, but they finally got to the Florida native as Michael Bisping earns the TKO victory at the end of Round 1.

Bisping, making his UFC debut at 185 pounds, looked to be in the best shape of his UFC career. Bisping escaped an armbar attempt by McCarthy, got to his feet and at one point landed eight consecutive knees on McCarthy. As the round ended, so did the fight as McCarthy, lying in the Octagon couldn't continue.

By Joe Fernandez

There is not even any sort of split in the loyalty of this crowd -- at least you can't hear anything else but a pro-Canada cheer.

Bocek, a Toronto native, worked the ground game for most of the first. Herman defended well, but it looks like Bocek's round.

Second round: Danzig earned a back mount halfway through the round, but Bocek, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, escaped. The two traded strikes after that, and Bocek ended the round attempting a heel hook on Danzig.

Third round: With three minutes left in the round, Danzig pulled Bocek's head down and landed a BIG knee on Bocek, which opened up a big cut above his left eye. After the doctor checked the cut, Bocek was allowed to continue. As the round went on, the cut continued to bleed as Danzig got the submission victory by rear naked choke.

By Joe Fernandez

Let me throw this out there -- The video montage the UFC plays right before the main card is THE BEST VIDEO MONTAGE around.

It's set to The Who's "Baba O'Riley" and it's only for the in-house crowd. Full of knockouts, submissions, hard rights, takedowns and spinning kicks -- it ends with highlights from the legendary Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar match. Brilliant!

They're about to bring out Mac Danzig and Mark Bocek for the first fight. Every time they show Serra then St. Pierre on the big screen the boos turn to cheers on a dime.

By Joe Fernandez

This should be intereresting. Two Canadian fighters. Where will the crowd's loyalty land? So far by the introductions it's MacDonald.

I don't know how MacDonald has a shoulder left right now.

After a failed guillotine choke by MacDonald, Doerksen passed his guard, earned side control and pulled off a NASTY kimura (shoulder lock). MacDonald's left arm was bent completely under himself for at least a minute.

Second round: What a comeback. MacDonald got side control and elbowed Doerksen until Referee Steve Mazzagatti jumped in -- or appeared to jump in. There was a misunderstanding as MacDonald relented on his attack when Mazzagatti got close to the fighters. When MacDonald saw that Mazzagatti wasn't stopping the fighter, he landed a few more punches for the stoppage win.

We're about to go live at 10 p.m. Stay tuned for more updates.

By Joe Fernandez

SPOILERS INCLUDED

Day, an Alberta, Canada native has entered the Octagon. And here comes Alan Belcher coming out to Devo -- yep, Devo. A cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." Wow.

Belcher coming out in shorts only a fighter can wear. They're like if a Muay Thai fighter was wearing a kilt. Belcher earns side control early, but now Day, from guard, is holding Belcher in place with his leg locked around Belcher's shoulder and is punching him.

Now standing up, Day hit Belcher with a bevy of unanswered punches and earned the first-round TKO win.

After the fight, Day stood in the middle of the Octagon and with his hands summoned his fellow Canadians to their feet, and they obliged.

By Joe Fernandez

SPOILERS INCLUDED

MONTREAL -- Before Demian Maia entered the Octagon, they played a Matt Serra promo and this place was filled with boos.

Ed Herman is on his way in and this one is about to start.

This one is a grappling match early as Maia, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion, almost catches Herman in an oma plata (an exotic-looking shoulder lock) and a heel hook. But Herman escapes...to the second round.

Second round: Wow. Maia goes for a triangle choke off his back, Herman gets around his guard, Maia gets Herman back in guard and catches him with a tight triangle. Herman rolls as Maia takes the choke to mount position and rains down punches. Herman goes out from a combination of punches and the choke -- but really the choke.

Maia's jiu-jitsu is on another planet. Herman is a very good grappler and Maia still put on a clinic.

Maia got the crowd in his corner by hoisting a Montreal Canadiens jersey with his name on it up in the air. Then they showed St. Pierre dressing for the fight and the crowd REALLY got loud. Great atmosphere. Great fights so far. Make sure you don't miss that Maia triangle.

By Joe Fernandez

SPOILERS INCLUDED

MONTREAL -- This place is about to get loud again as Rich Clementi faces Canadian Sam Stout.

I think this one will end with a BIG knockout. Two good punchers here.

Wow. Bold move. Clementi coming to the Octagon to the Eurythmic's "Here comes the rain again." I think that might be the first time a UFC fighter has come out to an Annie Lennox song.

Stout's ovation was so loud. I can't even imagine what St. Pierre's will be like.

Clementi has taken Stout to the ground early. He had his back, but as soon as Stout peeled Clementi's arm away from the choke, the crowd erupted. Stout worked his way out the jam, but was taken down again. A clear 10-9 round for Clementi, maybe even a 10-8, but no one ever really gives out a 10-8.

Second round: In a round that was pretty much all on the feet, Stout should have shined -- but he didn't. But neither did Clementi in the even round. Not as much excitement as the first.

Third round: A stand-up round, both fighters landed some shots in the third round. Stout landed a big right at the 2:14 mark that got the crowd going. This was definitely better than the second round with both of the fighters smelling a win by taking the round.

This one goes to the cards as Rich Clementi earns the split decision, which didn't sit well with the crowd. Clementi earned the win, but tonight, if you're not the Canadian fighter you're getting booed.

By Joe Fernandez

SPOILERS INCLUDED

MONTREAL -- Velasquez came out with a big left hook and knocked down Morris. Velasquez followed him down, transitioned from mount to Morris back, still raining down punches.

Morris took a lot of damage as Velasquez pummeled him from side control and earned the first-round referee stoppage win.

By Joe Fernandez

SPOILERS INCLUDED.

MONTREAL -- Ok...I'm Octagonside at UFC 83: Serra vs. St. Pierre 2.

First match up, Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. hometown fighter Jonathan Goulet. Goulet was landing some great knees and strikes in the first round but KH knocked him down and looked for the finish, but Goulet survived the round.

In the second round, Goulet chased a dazed Hironaka around the Octagon and eventually put him away with a big right hand KO at 2:07 of the second round. It was a great comeback.

7:42: Half the seats are just being filled and I can't BELIEVE how loud this crowd is -- Unbelievable. When Goulet was knocked down, the crowd started chanting his name furiously. When he actually scored the knockout it was like U2 was singing "When the streets have no name" at Madison Square Garden.

By Joe Fernandez

MONTREAL -- So "rue" means "street." Got it.

I've been walking around Montreal, trying to get the vibe of the city before tonight's UFC card at the Bell Center. Beautiful women line the streets and cafes as shop owners ask groups of guys in UFC t-shirts who is going to win the fight between welterweight champion Matt Serra and hometown hero and interim champ Georges St. Pierre.

It's my first time in this lovely city -- imagine certain parts of Manhattan with a quarter of the traffic. Even though it's no problem getting around town, Montreal is still buzzing this weekend.

Last night, down Montreal's famed Crescent Street or "Rue Crescent" it looked like Los Angeles' Sunset Strip on a Saturday night -- with cars rolling down the jammed block, blasting their stereos while club-hoppers and diners ducked in and out of the collection of trendy joints.

People wearing their favorite fighters names on their chests -- Affliction t-shirts, MMA gear and lots of people you wouldn't want to mess with. But start talking fighters with these men and those scowls go to smiles and the educated mixed martial arts follower comes out.

Going to head to the fights later on today. I will be posting updates live from the Bell Center as they happen -- at least I will try my best to. There's always a lot going on at a live UFC show and it's tough to report the action if my face is buried in a laptop. Thanks for reading.

`A Bientot.

-- Joe

By Joe Fernandez

Can Matt Serra shock the mixed martial arts world again?

If he does, he'll do it in front of a sold-out crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada against hometown fighter Georges St. Pierre.

Serra's TKO win over St. Pierre last April secured the Long Island native the UFC welterweight championship and a bagload of money to whomever bet on the 14-1 underdog.

Now they'll do it again. Can the former security guard from East Meadow follow up on his Rocky-esque triumph, or will the Montreal native take the title in front of his home crowd?