Jim Rome Plays Up Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra Rivalry on ESPN

ESPN is increasingly paying attention to mixed martial arts, but I still get the sense sometimes that the on-air talent views MMA more as something they have to cover to attract young male viewers than a sport they're legitimately interested in. The exception to that, however, is Jim Rome, who has a real passion for MMA and speaks about it often, as he did Thursday in discussing Saturday night's fight between Matt Hughes and Matt Serra at UFC 98.

"I am all over Matt Hughes v. Matt Serra," Rome said on Jim Rome Is Burning. "It is going to be a brawl. I know it's going to be a brawl because these two hate each other. It's not a figure of speech, it's not manufactured hype to sell tickets or pay-per-views. They hate each other."

And that, in a nutshell, is why this fight -- even more than the light heavyweight championship main event between Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans -- is going to draw in the kinds of fans who don't buy every pay-per-view. Getting ESPN on board is huge for the sport, and it's nice to hear Rome framing Hughes vs. Serra as a good, old-fashioned grudge match.