UFC lightweight contender Jim Miller never went anywhere.
Yet, after choking out Melvin Guillard at UFC on FX 1 last Friday, the general concensus is that he is in fact back, after losing a unanimous decision against the current number one lightweight contender Benson Henderson back in August 2011 at UFC Live, Hardy v Lytle.
Why is it so easy for fans to forget that Miller’s only lost twice in his UFC career, and only three times in his entire MMA career?
Those losses? Gray Maynard. Benson Henderson. Frankie Edgar. All by decision.
Jim celebrated with his wife and older brother who is not Dan, and his team and sponsors at a Nashville sports bar across from the Bridgestone Arena Friday night, where I caught up with him just as his fight was replaying on FX.
“I don’t remember any of this,” Miller said as he watched himself take Guillard’s back on television. “Pure instinct,” he said mostly to himself as he watched the replay.
“The guy hits hard,” he said of Guillard.
Miller was in good spirits after the win, however I’m sure the Submission of the Night bonus of 45k helped. One of his main sponsors matched that bonus, so Jimmy brought home an extra 90k on top of his fight purse and clothing sponsor money as well.
All in all, a great night. Just don’t call it a comeback.
Jim Miller’s next opponent could very well be the winner of Edgar / Henderson at UFC 144 next month in Japan.
“That would be cool,” the NJ man of very few words said.
Miller doesn’t care to talk about himself very much, however bring up the subject of his Dodge Ram and having to replace its serpentine belt last week, and he opens up.
“It’s just a matter of loosening up the tensioning pulley with a rachet to pull out the old one. Then install the new one and tighten up the tension. It took longer to get the part than it did to install it,” he said.
One could make the leap that the serpentine belt was just a metaphor for his fight with Guillard. “Take a couple of knees and hooks, then get the takedown, secure the back and sink in the choke. It took longer to get the takedown than it did to win the fight.”
