UFC lightweight Jim Miller may have enjoyed a record-breaking career in mixed martial arts, but he still says he suffers from "imposter syndrome" at times.
The 41-year-old New Jersey native is still going strong inside the Octagon, most recently submitting Damon Jackson in under three minutes at November's UFC 309 pay-per-view inside the prestigious Madison Square Garden.
That outing extended Miller's lead in a number of UFC records, including most wins (27), most fights (45), and most first-round finishes.
But despite a storied tenure in the sport and on its biggest stage, "A-10" doesn't always feel as though he belongs.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Miller was candid about that issue. While his status would no doubt lend itself to the freedom to do so, the fan favorite admitted he often struggles when it comes to making requests such as arena appearances instead of Apex fights.
I still feel like I deal with a little bit of imposter syndrome,” Miller said. “It’s hard for me to even say that stuff. My job is to fight, and that’s what I do. I’m not a matchmaker. I’m not any of that stuff. I’m a fighter, so that’s what I focus my time on.
I know that I am well-respected and I appreciate the hell out of that, and some of the conversations that I have with guys like Sean Shelby or (Joe) Rogan, I do feel that I’ve earned their respect," Miller continued. “I still have difficulty making those callouts, like saying, ‘Hey, no more Apex cards for me. Jim always wants the big cards – only numbered events at this point.’ That’s a tough one for me.
Miller did, however, go out of his way to make a rare callout for his next fight.
The veteran is eyeing up a legend vs. legend clash with the recently victorious Cub Swanson, who brutally knocked out Billy Quarantillo in Tampa earlier this month.