Jim Miller is about as game as they come and he jumped at the chance to fight on just a week and a half notice at UFC 252 when he takes on Vinc Pichel.
As the Las Vegas-based promotion was looking to build out the UFC 252, Sean Shelby gave Miller a call and it became an immediate “yes” to accept the fight.
“I had no idea I would be on this card until about a week ago. I got an e-mail asking to be on it and I accepted,” Miller said to MMANews.
When he makes the walk to the Octagon on Saturday night he will once again take sole possession of the most fights in UFC history.
Yet, for Miller, he doesn’t really care that much about it as he knows Donald Cerrone will eventually pass him again. But, he hopes he and ‘Cowboy’ can rematch for their 40th UFC fights.
“He gets offered a lot more fights than anybody. I wish I could fight at the pace he does. It is cool, it will be cool to be back at the top again. But, it isn’t a thing I am thinking about,” Miller said. “If the two of us get to 40 we need to fight again. I don’t know if anyone will get to 40. It is a cool thing to have but it is not anything big.”
Entering the scrap against Pichel, Miller is a small underdog but knows he has what it takes to get his hand raised.
Miller knows he will have the advantage on the ground but makes it clear he can’t force the takedown. But, once it hits the mat he expects to earn another submission win.
“I just go with what I feel. If I have the opportunity I will put him on his back. It is not one of those things I try to force as I don’t want to get caught shooting from the outside as you do leave yourself vulnerable. I try to set it up and sometimes it is not easy as you want,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. Whether I am on the top or bottom I will have the grappling advantage.
“I feel like I will be able to land some good shots and when I do that he will be forced into the wrestling game,” Miller added. “He will make some mistakes in the jiu-jitsu game and I’m going to submit him. That is what I am feeling.”
If Jim Miller does all that, he hopes he can get a ranked opponent next. He knows he is a much better fighter now that he has his Lyme disease under control.
Yet, for Miller, he is just focused on one fight at a time. But, he knows the end is coming soon and isn’t afraid to talk about retirement.
“I definitely think about it and I think it is the mature thing to do. Some of my peers don’t like to talk about retirement because they think once you allow it to get in your head it shows weakness,” he said. “I feel like the right thing to do is to prepare for it. We have this platform which is fighting at the highest level in the world and pretty much every single one of us except for Conor has to do something afterward.
“It is a tough spot to be in with a family as I’m done fighting and now what. I’ve been working on for a while on what that next step is. I know once I step away from MMA I am not going to return,” Miller concluded. “I want to do it on my own terms. I’m not going to make an emotional decision after a performance. I will know on fight night it will be my last fight. I’m excited knowing that it will be my last fight, my training camp, and all that.”
