Serra-Longo Fight Team

Serra-Longo Fight Team

Founded by	Matt Serra Ray Longo
Primary owners	Matt Serra Ray Longo
Primary trainers	Matt Serra Ray Longo Chris Weidman
Current titleholders	Merab Dvalishvili
Past titleholders	Matt Serra Chris Weidman Aljamain Sterling
Training facilities	Long Island, New York, U.S.
Website	Serra BJJ Academy Longo-Weidman MMA

Serra-Longo Fight Team is a mixed martial arts team based on Long Island, New York that was formed by Matt Serra and Ray Longo. The team has two gyms operating under it, Serra BJJ Academy and Longo-Weidman MMA. It has produced four UFC champions, Matt Serra (former UFC Welterweight Champion), Chris Weidman (former UFC Middleweight Champion), Aljamain Sterling (former UFC Bantamweight Champion) and Merab Dvalishvili (current UFC Bantamweight Champion).

Overview

When Matt Serra was 17, he met Ray Longo at Oishi Judo gym in New York City and the two became friends. Longo was an accountant who owned a gym and would train fighters at night. The two formed a team where Serra was an MMA fighter and Longo would act as the coach where he organized and provided all the resources needed to help Serra win his fights.^[1][2][3] The crowning achievement of the team was in 2007 where Serra defeated Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 in one of the biggest upsets to become UFC Welterweight Champion.^[1][2][3]

The team has expanded in size and currently operates two gyms, Serra BJJ Academy and Longo-Weidman MMA.

Serra BJJ is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym founded by Matt Serra in 2001 and is currently based in Huntington, New York.^[4][5] Serra acts as the head instructor sharing his experience as the first American to be awarded a Black Belt by Renzo Gracie and a 2001 ADCC Silver Medalist.^[6]

Longo-Weidman MMA (LAW MMA) is a mixed martial arts gym based in Garden City, New York and is currently owned by Ray Longo and Chris Weidman. Previously named Ray Longo's International Martial Arts Academy, it was originally founded in 1990^[7] by Longo. Longo is the head instructor. He is a certified instructor of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kun Do Concepts^[8] and focuses mainly on the striking aspect. Chris Weidman is a Former UFC Middleweight Champion who was also coached by Longo to defeat Anderson Silva in an upset at UFC 162 in 2013.^[9]

Notable fighters

• Matt Serra^[1][2][3]
• Chris Weidman^[9][10]
• Aljamain Sterling^[11]
• Merab Dvalishvili^[12]
• Al Iaquinta^[13]
• Itsuki Hirata^[14][15]
• Gian Villante^[16]
• Matt Frevola^[17]
• Ulka Sasaki^[18]
• Eddie Gordon^[19]
• Pete Sell^[20]
• Mizuki Inoue^[21]

See also

• List of professional MMA training camps

References

1. "LI's Ray Longo is the ultimate trainer". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
2. ago, Matthew Wells 1 year (August 8, 2019). "Top 20 MMA coaches of all time". FanSided. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
3. "Matt Serra reflects on Hall of Fame career, life after fighting". ESPN.com. June 26, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
4. "Contact Us". Serra BJJ Academy. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
5. "Matt Serra's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Moves to Levittown". East Meadow, NY Patch. January 19, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
6. Says, Myself. "Matt Serra | BJJ Heroes". Retrieved January 29, 2021.
7. "Find MMA Gyms - Ray Longo's International Mixed Martial Arts Academy (IMMA)". Find MMA Gyms. March 13, 2009. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
8. Thomas, Luke (January 12, 2014). "Technique Talk: Longo, leg kicks & 'Destructions'". MMA Fighting. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
9. "Ray Longo: Architect of Destruction | UFC". www.ufc.com. September 14, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
10. Sherdog.com. "Sherdog Prospect Watch: Chris Weidman". Sherdog. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
11. "How the 'Dog Pound' helped Aljo prepare for UFC 250". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
12. "Merab Dvalishvili brings his country's fighting spirit to ROC 58 | Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat | Next Generation of Mixed Martial Arts!". Merab Dvalishvili brings his country's fighting spirit to ROC 58 | Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat | Next Generation of Mixed Martial Arts!. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
13. "Al Iaquinta: More Dangerous Than Ever | UFC". www.ufc.com. September 14, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
14. "Itsuki Hirata Discusses Preparations For Lin Heqin". Combat Press. August 15, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
15. ""I drive myself and be limitless too" - Itsuki Hirata gets boost after training in New York". Sportskeeda. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
16. Pearson, Andrew (July 22, 2017). "Cummins Splits Villante On LI, But His Face Pays The Price". MMAmania.com. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
17. "LI's Frevola looks to make most of UFC opportunity". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
18. "Buzukja, fresh off pro debut, fighting again at ROC 66". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
19. "LI's Gordon thanks Serra-Longo for success". Newsday. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
20. "Fight Coach: Pete "Drago" Sell". NewYorkFighting.com. June 19, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
21. "Mizuki Inoue hopes her decision to move to New York will pay off at UFC on ESPN 15 | Asian MMA". AsianMMA. August 21, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2021.

External links

• Serra BJJ Academy
• Longo-Weidman MMA Archived June 21, 2023, at the Wayback Machine