Under the Radar: Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes at UFC 98

The big fight drawing much of the media attention up to this point preceding UFC 98 has been Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans. It's not only a superfight among casual fans, but it has the qualities that hardcore fans love. It'll have strategy, great technical striking, and the potential to be an all-out war if it goes the distance. Two other top qualities bouts remain on the card however in Sean Sherk vs. Frankie Edgar and... Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes.

While we're still a few weeks out from the event, fans have generally argued the gameplanning involved in the Machida-Evans bout. Matt Serra vs. Matt Hughes hasn't came up as much as I had hoped following UFC 97, but it may very well be a sleeper that could produce a great fight.

What makes this fight so great at this very moment in both Matt Serra and Matt Hughes' career? It's very intriguing due to the idea that Matt Hughes' age and arguable falloff in his skills in the cage will be going up against a deceptively powerful jiu-jitsu grappler with heavy hands who hasn't really instilled confidence in fans to be an overwhelming favorite in any fight. Making this even more interesting is their style matchup.

Serra relies heavily on his hands for the surprise stunning blow, but is very well versed on the floor. In fact, there have been a multitude of coaches and trainers in the past that have touted Serra's jiu-jitsu as being formidable due to his strength combined with his knowledge. While not quite filling the role as a power grappler, Serra also has the strength to stun opponents on the feet as evident in his huge upset win over Georges St. Pierre.

Hughes has a legacy of being a powerful wrestler who uses his strength to keep opponents on the floor, pound them into a pulp, and subsequently finish them off or cause enough concern in which his opponents put themselves in terrible positions. His power has been a staple of his skillset, and a lot of fans have attributed his age as to the reason he's had problems in recent bouts.

Hughes may not be able to simply overpower Serra on the floor, and he'll likely have to tread lightly in where he positions himself in order to avoid Serra's jiu-jitsu. Serra hasn't been deemed some kind of explosive striker nor is he known for being any kind of finisher on his feet. Hughes doesn't have great strking either, but his takedown ability to counter the striker are well-known. In terms of styles, this could be a small chess match on the floor coupled with some aggressive striking on the feet to grab an edge.

I'm excited about this matchup for a few reasons. Most notably, I think it will tell us something significant about each fighter no matter what the outcome is. Hughes may see a glimmer of hope in trying to vie for relevance once again at the top of the division with a win, but he may also see a loss as a sign that the times have passed him. A Serra win will likely re-affirm the idea in his mind that he belongs in the title picture while a loss will put him either out of the UFC or one step away from being canned. Both fighters stand to gain some relevance in the division's upper echelon with a win, but both guys could lose a lot with a crushing loss. This fight potentially has some huge impact on each fighter's career.