"I remember wanting to jump you"- Matt Serra shares wild origin story of tension with now UFC analyst before The Ultimate Fighter

Former rivals-turned-friends Matt Serra and Din Thomas reflected on their past rivalry during a recent episode of the Geeking Out With Matt Serra podcast, which aired on Dec. 24, 2024. Their intense competition dates back to UFC 41 in 2003, where Thomas defeated Serra by a split decision. Both fighters also participated in The Ultimate Fighter 4, where Serra emerged as the tournament winner.

During the podcast, Serra and Thomas recalled how their rivalry escalated. At one point, Serra, along with his teammate and former UFC fighter Pete 'Drago' Sell, was planning to attack Thomas if he talked trash during the weigh-ins. Serra said:

"There was a lot of bickering online and then, somehow, I don't know what you said that set me off. I don't know what it was. But it wasn't a sport to me back then. It was like fighting..."

He added:

"And then we were at the weigh-in and I see you... I remember wanting to jump you... I remember saying to [Pete Sell], 'If [Thomas] says one f* thing, I'm going in.' He said, I got you.' And then you turned around and you're like, 'What's up, player?' or something like that."

Check out Matt Serra's comments below (0:01):

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Din Thomas' hilarious reaction to sharing the TUF house with Matt Serra, shortly after the weigh-in incident

Participants in The Ultimate Fighter usually live together in a shared accommodation during the competition. After their UFC 41 fight, Din Thomas lived with Matt Serra and Pete Sell in a similar arrangement. It appears that the duo had resolved the differences before joining the reality show, as Serra reflected on their past in the aforementioned podcast episode:

"I think we were trying out for The Ultimate Fighter. This was, maybe, a little while later... And we ran into each other at the mall. And I remember we had a nice conversation, like, 'Look, man. We're going to be stuck with each other in the [TUF house] for six weeks. Let's not make this awkward, man.'" [1:29]

Thomas, who seemed unaware of Serra and Sell's intentions to harm him until the recent revelation, hilariously responded:

"Yeah, that's exactly what happened. But I wish I had known that you and 'Drago' were going to beat me up. I don't know how I would have went to that house with you guys. You'll were in the house together. I was in there by myself!" [1:50]

In the two decades after the series of incidents, Thomas and Serra have moved past their bitter rivalry and developed a close friendship. Notably, their friendly banter on the 'Dana White Lookin' for a Fight' show has been well received by the MMA fans.