Dan Receives Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt from Jamie Cruz
Posted January 15, 2010
Congratulations to Dan for his promotion to black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, under Jamie Cruz. Jamie, himself a black belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie, awarded the belt to Dan at AMA Fight Club, in Whippany, NJ.
“It’s a huge honor,” Dan said. “I look up to Jamie. He’s a great competitor and a great coach.”
“It’s a well deserved black belt,” Cruz said. “He’s been working hard and has a big fight ahead of him. We’re looking forward to him getting a big win.”
Dan is back in the cage on February 6 at UFC 109: Relentless, in Las Vegas. He will be taking on BJJ ace Demian Maia as part of the event’s Pay Per View broadcast.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim to Return to Action in New Jersey Against Mark Bocek at UFC 111
Posted January 14, 2010
Jim will look to continue his roll in the UFC in a place he’s familiar picking up wins, as he returns to New Jersey to take on Mark Bocek at UFC 111 at the Prudential Center in Newark. The bout will be a part of the event’s Pay Per View broadcast, starting at 10 PM EST on March 27.
Jim fought exclusively in New Jersey prior to joining the UFC, where he built up a record of 11-1 fighting for and winning titles with local promotions like Cage Fury Fighting Championships, Ring of Combat, Reality Fighting and Battle Cage Extreme. Even Jim’s national debut came at a New Jersey event, as he fought top IFL star Bart Palaszewski at the Izod Center, winning a dominant decision.
The return to New Jersey will mark Jim’s seventh fight inside the Octagon, where he has accumulated a stellar 5-1 record, and picked up a pair of fight night bonuses, earning a Submission of the Night against David Baron and a Fight of the Night in his win against Matt Wiman. Jim has bounced back from his lone loss, a hard fought decision against top contender Gray Maynard, by running off three consecutive wins over Mac Danzig, Steve Lopez and Bang Ludwig.
Bocek also is on a hot streak, as he has rebounded from a 1-2 start in the UFC, suffering defeats to Danzig and title challenger Frankie Edgar, by winning three consecutive fights, all by rear naked choke.
The fight promises to be an action packed affair, with the potential for an entertaining match up on both the ground and standing.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Uses Strikes to Set Up Submission of Ludwig at UFC 108
Posted January 3, 2010
Jim extended his winning streak to three Saturday night, with a first round submission victory over veteran striker Duane “Bang” Ludwig. Jim secured an armbar midway through the opening frame, and after breaking Ludwig’s defensive grip, solicited the tapout victory.
While many felt, coming into the fight, that the ground would be Jim’s domain, and Ludwig would have the decided advantage on the feet, Jim proved the prognosticators only half-right. The striking exchanges were even early in the fight, with both fighters throwing crisp combos and showing solid defense, but Jim seized the reins of the fight with a right hook counter which dropped Ludwig.
“I needed to make him respect my hands before I was going to attempt any shot,” Jim said of using his strikes to get the fight to the mat, rather than his wresting. “If I tried shooting in from ten feet away, he would’ve cleaned my clock.
“I just wanted to get him to the mat. Even though I blocked most of his punches on the feet, the kid hits hard.”
Once on the mat, Jim displayed the ground game that has made him one of the most dangerous ground fighters in a stacked lightweight division. Jim quickly passed to side control, before swinging his left leg over Ludwig to take the mount. Ludwig attempted to roll out of trouble, but Jim dropped his right leg over Ludwig’s head and attacked Ludwig’s arm. After a brief struggle, Jim was able to extend the hold for the victory.
Ludwig was Jim’s third opponent for the fight, with his opponent switching from Tyson Griffin, to Sean Sherk to Ludwig in the span of a week. Ludwig accepted the fight on short notice, a feat Jim and Dan gained recognition for doing on more than one occasion, leaving Jim with appreciation for Ludwig coming in and allowing him to still have a fight.
"I want to thank Duane for stepping up and everybody else on this card that stepped up on short notice, because we had a lot of injuries," Miller said. "I want to thank all the fans for showing up tonight.”
For his part, Jim was not phased by the changes, despite the stark stylistic contrast between Ludwig, the taller kickboxer, and Sherk or Griffin, a pair of shorter wrestlers. Jim credits the ease of transition to a focus on improving as a fighter in training, rather than focusing on training to an opponent.
"I had a lot of opponents for this fight,” Jim said. “My trick -- I just train to get better."
The win puts Jim right in the thick of the UFC’s lightweight title picture, with five wins in just fifteen months in the organization, and his only losses to the top two contenders for BJ Penn’s belt. Next on the docket could be the originally scheduled match with Tyson Griffin, though Jim doesn’t care who he fights, as long as they’re tough.
“I think I’ve earned my shot to fight one of the top guys,” Jim said. “And I guarantee I’m going to make it a fight with anybody”
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan to Face Jiu Jitsu Ace Demian Maia at UFC 109
Posted December 12, 2009
Dan will take to the cage with an experience that is uncommon for him, as he looks to bounce back from a defeat for just the second time in his career, and the first time in over three years. Facing Dan (11-2) from across the cage will be BJJ black belt Demian Maia (11-1), who will be attempting to rebound from a loss of his own, the first of his career. The fight will take place on the undercard portion of the UFC 109 Pay Per View on February 6. It is currently unknown if the event will feature a televised lead in on Spike TV, which has been common since UFC 103, though a lead in would likely feature the fight.
Dan’s last fight came at UFC 98, and saw him come out on the wrong side of a decision loss against Chael Sonnen, despite several near submissions. The loss ended a ten fight unbeaten streak, which included nine victories and a no-contest suffered when Dan was the victim of an accidental headbutt.
Prior to the match against Sonnen, Dan was undefeated in three prior appearances in the Octagon. Dan debuted with a quick submission victory over jiu jitsu black belt Rob Kimmons, as he secured Kimmons’ back standing and sunk in a tight rear naked choke. He followed this up with a decision victory over Matt Horwich at UFC 90, a fight taken on short notice, and a guillotine choke victory over blue chip prospect Jake Rosholt, also on short notice.
Maia made a name for himself inside the Octagon by winning his first five fights, all en route to earning Submission of the Night honors. Maia’s victims along the way were Ryan Jensen, Ed Herman, Jason MacDonald, Nate Quarry and Sonnen. His eleven-fight win streak came to an end at the hands of Nate Marquardt, as a leg kick by Maia was countered with a right hand by Marquardt which knocked the Brazilian out just :21 into the fight.
With both fighters looking to bounce back, there is plenty on the line, as a win for either man will be a significant climb up the ladder towards an eventual shot at the UFC Middleweight belt, currently held by Anderson Silva.
The card, which will be held in Las Vegas, is headlined by a pair of UFC Hall of Famers, as Randy “The Natural” Couture takes on Mark Coleman in The Natural’s return to the light heavyweight division, where he was once champion, after a run which saw him claim the UFC Heavyweight title for the second time in his career. Also on the card is a bout between Marquardt and Sonnen, fresh off a dominant victory against then #2-ranked middleweight Yushin Okami, with the winner potentially becoming the top contender in the middleweight division.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsTyson Griffin Out of Fight With Jim; Former Champ Sean Sherk to Replace Him
Posted November 18, 2009
Jim has seen a late change to his scheduled opponent for his fight at UFC 108, with Sean Sherk stepping in to replace Tyson Griffin, after Griffin suffered an undisclosed injury while training for the bout. The fight is still scheduled to be a part of the Pay Per View broadcast, which begins at 10 PM EST on January 2.
Sherk had already been training for a fight at UFC 108 of his own, as he was to take on Rafiello Oliveira on the undercard of the evet. Oliveira, a training partner of Jim’s at AMA Fight Club, will be receiving a new opponent on the card, however his opponent is currently unknown.
The match-up between Sherk (33-4-1) and Jim (15-2) offers both fighters a chance to put themselves into contender talks in a crowded lightweight title picture, which also includes a pair of UFC 107 matches, with BJ Penn defending the belt against Diego Sanchez and former two-time title contender Kenny Florian battling Clay Guida. Also in the mix are Griffin, who recently knocked out Hermes Franca at UFC 103, as well as Gray Maynard and Jim’s training partner Frank Edgar.
Sherk enters the bout off of a decision defeat to Edgar at UFC 98, which saw Edgar’s quick hands dominate the stand up, and his wrestling acumen prevent Sherk from holding him down for any significant period of time. The loss for Sherk, a former UFC Lightweight Champion, was only the fourth of his career, with the other three all coming to men who are sure to be future UFC Hall of Famers. The loss was also just the second defeat at lightweight in Sherk’s career, the other to Penn in a title fight, with his remaining losses coming to former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes, and current UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre.
Elsewhere on the card, Rashad Evans will face Thiago Silva in the main event, with both men looking to climb the upper levels of the UFC’s light heavyweight ladder. Other main card fights will include a lightweight bout between Sam Stout and Joe Lauzon, and a heavyweight match up of Junior Dos Santos and Gilbert Yvel.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Looking to Climb the Ladder Against Tyson Griffin
Posted November 18, 2009
Jim will be returning to the Octagon as part of the UFC’s first card in 2010, as he looks to build on a two fight winning streak inside the cage. The latest test for Jim (15-2) will be top prospect Tyson Griffin, (14-2, 7-2 UFC) at UFC 108 in Las Vegas. The fight is scheduled to be the third fight on the Pay-Per-View broadcast.
A win against Griffin, who is currently ranked 12th in the world at lightweight in the USA Today Consensus MMA Rankings, would likely move Jim into the title picture in what is fast becoming the most stacked division in the UFC. Jim’s only career defeats have come by way of decisions against 5th ranked Frank Edgar at a Reality Fighting event, and 6th ranked Gray Maynard, a teammate of Griffin’s, at UFC 96.
Griffin also has much to gain from the fight. With his only losses likewise a pair of tough decisions, one to Edgar and the other to 8th ranked former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk, another victory against top opposition could be enough to add Griffin’s name to discussions alongside Edgar and Maynard for the right to take on the winner of UFC 105’s UFC Lightweight Championship fight between current champion BJ Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez.
Facing off against a member of Xtreme Couture will be nothing new for Jim, as he takes on his third member of the team, which is lead by the legendary Randy Couture, in only four fights. After battling with Maynard at UFC 96, Jim bounced back with a bloody, punishing victory over a very tough Mac Danzig, another Couture fighter, at the historic UFC 100 event.
Jim followed up his victory over Danzig with another impressive performance en route to a second round TKO victory over Steve Lopez at UFC 103. Jim controlled the first round with new-and-improved stand-up, showing that, like his older brother, Jim’s hands are quickly improving to complement his aggressive submission attacks. Despite twice rocking Lopez, and winning a dominant first round, Jim was left feeling unsatisfied as the fight came to an end after an injury to Lopez’s shoulder left him unable to continue.
The similarities between the two continue with Griffin’s recent form matching Jim’s with two consecutive victories in the form of a second round TKO and a decision. Griffin rebounded from his decision loss to Sherk by grinding out a decision against a very game Rafael Dos Anjos, surviving a crafty knee lock by the Brazilian. Griffin notched his second straight victory on the same card as Jim, knocking out Hermes Franca at UFC 103.
Elsewhere on the card, Rashad Evans attempts to exact revenge for teammate Keith Jardine as he squares off with Thiago Silva, and former WEC Welterweight Champion faces off with British striker Paul “Semtax” daily. The remaining announced broadcast fight will see a pair of Brazilians looking to thrust themselves into the picture to challenge for Brock Lesnar’s heavyweight belt as Junior Dos Santos takes on Gabriel Gonzaga.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Tops Game Lopez at UFC 103 for Fourth UFC Victory
Posted September 20, 2009
Jim continued to build off his UFC 100 victory Saturday night, as he defeated Steve Lopez (12-2) in the second round at UFC 103. The bout took place on the event’s undercard, but was featured as the final fight aired on Spike TV’s lead in to the Pay-Per-View portion.
Jim controlled the first round of the fight, proving that his striking has continued to improve in the short time since he first signed with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Jim twice dropped Lopez with strong left hooks, the second of which he used to sink in a deep standing guillotine.
The move was reminiscent of Dan’s brutal guillotine on Dave Phillips at the IFL semi-finals, which ultimately earned Dan a Submission of the Night award, a feat Jim seemed ready to match. Lopez proved resilient, however, escaping the hold, though eating several strong strikes from Jim in the process.
The fight came to a disappointing conclusion in the second frame, with Lopez suffering a dislocated shoulder after throwing a strike.
“That’s not the way I like to win fights,” Jim said. “It’s me and my opponent. I want to sub him out, knock him out or make the ref pull me off, not have to have the doctor stop it from the outside.”
Despite the unfortunate result, Jim left no doubts in the minds of viewers that he is a force to be reckoned with in a stacked lightweight division, with his ever-improving hands paired with his dominating ground work.
Lopez presented an interesting challenge for Jim in that little was known of Lopez heading into the fight.
“I thought he was a totally different guy,” Jim said. “I thought he was short and stocky, turns out he’s got three inches on me.
“I didn’t know he was a college wrestler or anything like that. I just came in thinking he could be the toughest guy I’ve ever faced.”
The fight is not the first time Jim has won via a medical stoppage, having likewise earned a TKO victory over Chris Liguori due to a deep gash caused by an elbow thrown by Jim. Jim immediately followed that performance by winning a rematch via guillotine choke.
There is no word yet on who Jim’s next opponent will be.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Slams, Strikes and Splits-Open Danzig at Historic UFC 100
Posted July 12, 2009
It’s often considered cliché to say one learns more from a loss than a win, but following his first setback in nearly three years, Jim (14-2) took the saying to heart as he rebounded from a hard-fought decision defeat with a dominant three-round unanimous decision victory against TUF 6 Champion Mac Danzig (18-7-1), taking 30-27 scores on all three judges’ cards.
“I made a few mistakes with the Gray fight,” Jim said of his prior outing. “I got lazy with my takedowns; I was just in a weird place with my stand-up so I really wasn’t blocking any of his punches.
“I really made an effort to get back to my old ways -- parrying punches and countering.”
The changes paid off for Jim, as he landed several punishing blows standing against Danzig, an accomplished stand-up fighter in his own right. Where Jim truly controlled the fight, however, was in taking Danzig to the mat, and dealing damage once there.
“In the (training) room, if I was in on someone’s leg, I was putting them on the mat. I just made myself do it, even if I had to run across the whole room to do so”
While Jim has made a career out of taking opponents down, passing their guard and securing submissions, he had to alter his gameplan after a first round takedown.
Less than a minute into the round, Jim shot in and executed a textbook double-leg takedown, scooping Danzig clean off his feet. Once on the ground, Jim unleashed a barrage of ground-and-pound, opening a wide gash on Danzig’s forehead, leaving both men fighting their opponent as well as the slippery substance.
“When somebody gets that bloody it makes it a real pain in the butt,” Jim said, “especially on bottom. If you’re the guy on bottom and if you’re bleeding or the guy on top of you is bleeding, it’s really hard to do anything off your back.
“He did a really good job of still moving when we were all slippery.”
While many would see the deep gash as an opportunity to score an easy TKO stoppage, Jim wasn’t looking to simply open the wound until the doctor stopped the fight.
“I’ve won like that before (against Chris Liguori) and it’s just not very exciting,” Jim said. “I hit him with a left elbow, and I’m a lefty, so I’m sure I hit it a couple more times, but I wasn’t trying to open it just to get the cut stoppage.”
Instead, Jim continued to push forward toward a stoppage of a more traditional variety, opting for more ground-and-pound due to the grappling difficulties provided by the blood, and did so the only way he knows how – full throttle.
“I just kept going forward, which is the way I want to fight,” Jim said. “It’s like in baseball -- I’d rather lose going down swinging than watching three strikes go by. [I never want to lose a] fight where I just sat there and threw jabs, so I was happy that I kept moving forward.”
Despite the loss, Danzig answered Jim’s constant assault, working from the opening bell to the close despite the easy excuse to quit under the weight of Jim’s punishing ground-and-pound and the chasm opened over his right eye. Danzig did his best work in the second frames final seconds, attempting a guillotine which left commentators questioning if he had nearly stolen victory from the jaws of defeat.
"He timed a really good guillotine when I shot in,” Jim said, “(but) I was able to shrink my chin in. I heard the crowd, but I knew where I was and how much time I had left.
“I was able to post away on his hips, so he couldn’t crank on the neck, and I was confident I would have been able to slip out if the bell hadn’t sounded.
“Some guys might tap to that, but I’m not one of them -- I was already planning how I was going to attack if my escape came before the bell.”
With the third round bringing another five minutes of fierce ground work from Jim, and game defense from Danzig, the two looked to be strong candidates for Fight of the Night (FotN) Honors. While the official FotN was awarded elsewhere, the crowd was more than willing to show their approval to the efforts handed in by both men, as they roared their appreciation as Jim and Danzig showed their respect to each other after the fight.
With his fourteenth win behind him, his third since joining the UFC, Jim is already looking to the future and who’s next.
“I’ll fight anybody the UFC wants me to fight,” Jim said. “I want to fight the best guys out there, because that’s where I think I belong, and I want to prove it. I don’t want any easy fights.”
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Ready to Show Off Improvements at UFC's Biggest Event Yet
Posted July 4, 2009
Jim will be looking to accomplish something that hasn’t been asked of him in nearly three years – bouncing back from a defeat. After a gritty, hard-fought decision loss to Gray Maynard, Jim is ready to renew his climb to the top of the lightweight division when he takes on TUF 6 Champion Mac Danzig.
The loss for Jim was his first in the Octagon, and first in nine fights overall. Previously, Jim had racked-up UFC victories over David Baron, winning Submision of the Night, and Matt Wiman, earning Fight of the Night, despite taking the latter fight with little-more-than a week’s notice.
Though disappointed with the result, Jim took many lessons from the Maynard fight, and is ready to show off a new-and-improved style against Danzig.
“I wasn’t really following through with my takedowns,” Jim said. “Gray is a tremendous wrestler – he’s strong and has great technique – but I feel like when I get in on somebody and it’s deep, I should be able to get the takedown.
“I was in a weird place with my boxing for that fight. I’d switched trainers a few weeks before that fight. They always say you shouldn’t change so close to a fight, and I didn’t feel right the whole night.”
Standing across from Jim will be Mac Danzig, who will bring a sense of desperation into the cage, in addition to a formidable skill-set. A PRIDE veteran, in addition to his Championship run on The Ultimate Fighter Season 6, Danzig has seen his UFC record to fall to 2-2 officially (the bouts on TUF were considered exhibitions, though Danzig earned decisive stoppage victories in each.)
Adding extra pressure, the two will be squaring off on the biggest card in UFC history, UFC 100. Elsewhere on the card, Brock Lesnar defends his UFC Heavyweight Title against UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir, Georges St. Pierre defends his UFC Middleweight Title against Thiago Alves, and TUF 9 coaches Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping square off in a middleweight tilt.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Suffers First Defeat in Over Three Years with Decision Loss
Posted June 16, 2009
It’s said that all good things must come to an end, and after ten fights, and more than three years, Dan’s unbeaten string did so following a decision loss against Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen, the former unofficial WEC Middleweight Champion (former Champion Paulo Filho missed weight for their title fight, which Sonnen won by decision, and the division was folded into the UFC’s middleweight division before a rematch could be booked) came into the fight with a clear gameplan – avoid Dan’s stand-up, and look to neutralize Dan’s dangerous guard.
While Dan got the better of the standing exchanges at the start of each round, and made Sonnen pay for his shots with multiple guillotine attempts, including an effort in the bout’s opening minute which saw Sonnen’s face turn bright purple, the Team Quest wrestler was able to fight his way through all of them, as well as a kneebar attempt, and remain on top throughout the fight to earn the decision victory.
“He’s a tough guy,” Sonnen said. “He landed some good shots standing, but I was able to take him to the ground and control him there.”
The loss is only the second of Dan’s career, the other coming by split decision to the UFC’s Mike Massenzio in just Dan’s third career fight, and he will be looking to bounce back and reassert himself as a contender for the middleweight crown in his next bout.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Ready to Continue Climb Against #2 Okami
Posted March 14, 2009
Dan will look to extend his ten-fight unbeaten streak, as well as thrust himself into serious title contention, as he takes on his toughest opponent to date at UFC 98 in Yushin Okami. The fight will be part of the live Pay-Per-View broadcast from Las Vegas, which begins at 10 PM, Saturday, May 23.
Dan secured his third victory in as many UFC fights at UFC Fight Night 17, when he took on undefeated Jake Rosholt. A three time NCAA wrestling champion, Rosholt is a bluechip prospect, however Dan calmly used a leglock to reverse position on the ground, then caught Rosholt in a deep standing guillotine to earn the first round submission victory.
Waiting for Dan will be Okami, the #2 ranked Middleweight in the world according to USA Today’s rankings. Okami is 7-1 in the UFC, with his lone loss coming by decision to former middleweight king Rich Franklin.
The top of the middleweight division is stacked with talent, with Nate Marquardt and Demian Maia awaiting the winner of the UFC 97 Middleweight Title bout between Anderson Silva and Thales Leitas. A win over the highly regarded Okami would improve Dan to 4-0 in the UFC, 12-1 overall, and likely land him in position to battle for the title of #1 Contender.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Drops Decision to Unbeaten Maynard at UFC 96
Posted March 8, 2009
Jim’s eight-fight winning streak was brought to an end at UFC 96, as he was outpointed by undefeated Xtreme Couture lightweight Gray Maynard. The loss was Jim’s first inside the Octagon.
Jim was relentless throughout the fight, continually pushing forward, but Maynard was able to land more blows standing and earn the judges’ favor.
Despite having successfully ground out a jiu jitsu black belt in his last fight, Maynard elected to use his excellent wrestling to avoid the ground with Jim. A Maynard takedown in the third showed why.
Jim worked for a guillotine, and while Maynard turned out of it in scoring the takedown, Jim quickly turned to a kneebar. It looked as though he may have secured the submission, but Maynard was able to escape and hold on to the victory.
While Jim’s next fight has yet to be announced, he is eager to get back in the cage.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Secures Fast Submission to Remain Unbeaten Inside the Octagon
Posted February 8, 2009
The Miller Brothers’ roll in the UFC continued at UFC Fight Night 17, as Dan improved to 3-0 in the Octagon with a 63-second submission against Jake Rosholt. The win improves Dan to 11-1 (1 NC) and improves his unbeaten streak, which dates back to 2006, to ten fights.
A three-time NCAA Champion wrestler, Rosholt was expected to look for the takedown, and Dan was prepared. He delivered a hard knee as Rosholt looked to score the early takedown, and as soon as the fight hit the mat Dan worked for a leg lock from the bottom, which he used to reverse position.
From there Dan regained his feet and, as Rosholt worked for another takedown, secured the neck and dropped to the mat with a tight guillotine, finishing the submission without guard.
“We came up in a scramble, I hit him a few times and he went to double me,” Dan said. “I was able to sink my arm in, pull it up and get the guillotine.
“I sunk it all the way through, it was almost like a rear naked choke from the front, so really there was no place he could go.”
While Dan came into the fight expecting a long, tough battle, he left with a second-minute choke victory for the second time in only three UFC fights.
“Jake’s a really tough guy -- great wrestler, he can take punishment,” Dan said. “I knew I had to go in there and figure something out fast, but I thought it was going to be a war.”
Once again Dan will have little time to bask in his win as he will immediately go back to the gym to help Jim train for a March 7 bout against Gray Maynard at UFC 96.
If he has his way, it’ll already be time to start preparing for his next fight after that.
“I’ll just keep going up,” Dan said. “Hopefully the UFC likes what they saw and they give me another opponent soon.
“I just love fighting. I love getting in here and fighting for the fans and fighting for the UFC.”
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMillers Set to Return to Octagon to Battle Unbeaten Adversaries
Posted January 8, 2009
Undefeated in a combined four fights in the Octagon, Dan and Jim are set to return to action for the UFC in the coming months against a pair of unbeaten fighters. Dan will once again serve as an injury replacement as he takes on Jake Rosholt Feb. 7 at UFC Fight Night 17, and Jim will be taking on Gray Maynard Mar. 7 at UFC 96.
The fight against Rosholt will mark the second consecutive fight for Dan as a short-notice replacement, and the third for the Miller brothers, since joining the UFC. Dan followed up a first round submission over Rob Kimmons in his debut with a unanimous decision over Matt Horwich at UFC 90, a fight in which he filled in for injured teammate Ricardo Almeida.
Dan (10-1) enters the fight on a nine-fight unbeaten streak, registering eight victories and one No-Contest, due to an accidental headbutt by his opponent, during the run.
Rosholt will be making his promotional debut after coming to the UFC following the elimination of the fellow-Zuffa-owned WEC’s middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. The Team Takedown fighter, known for his collegiate wrestling credentials, is undefeated in five fights, most recently besting Nissen Osterneck with a second round TKO.
Like his older brother, Jim (13-1) is riding an eight fight winning streak into his match-up with Maynard, with the past two contests being award-winning performance for the UFC.
Jim debuted with a Submission of the Night rear naked choke against David Baron at UFC 89. He followed the performance up by earning Fight of the Night en-route to a dominant decision over Matt Wiman on just eight-days’ notice at UFC Fights for the Troops, after taking the place of teammate Frank Edgar.
Maynard (6-0) has won all four of his sanctioned fights in the UFC, and has never been beaten in an official bout. Training out of Extreme Couture, Maynard has strung together four-consecutive victories since a No-Contest against Rob Emerson in his UFC debut, most recently earning a decision victory over Rich Clementi.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsShort Notice No Problem as Jim Victorious in Fight of the Night
Posted December 11, 2008
Fighting on just eight days notice, and having just returned from his honeymoon in time for Thanksgiving, Jim showed that a less-than-hundred-percent Miller Brother is still a handful in the Octagon. Jim used an aggressive pace, crisp stand-up and a deep choke early to help negate the advantage of opponent Matt Wiman’s full camp, en-route to a dominant decision, and the Fight of the Night, at UFC Fight Night 16: The UFC Fights for the Troops.
“I knew coming in he was going to be in better shape than me,” Jim said, “so it was just a matter of making him fight my fight and tiring him out.
“I knew if I let him get into a rhythm it wouldn’t have been long before I couldn’t do anything, so I just tried to gut it out. I had my corner yelling at me to keep it going.”
Jim took the initiative early, tagging Wiman with several clean strikes standing, forcing Wiman to shoot in for a takedown. Jim locked up a guillotine however, and quickly rolled to mount. Wiman flirted with a lost point by repeatedly disregarding orders, both verbal and physical, to let go of Jim’s shorts, but eventually popped his head free.
“It was on pretty good, but he was squirming,” Jim said. “I knew it was only a matter of time before my arms gassed out, because I did only take it on a weeks notice.”
The reprieve was short-lived for Wiman however, as Jim continued to control the fight wherever it went.
“That was pretty much my strategy,” Jim said. “[I wanted] to outpace him everywhere we were and I think I did a pretty good job.”
Jim looked close to finishing the fight on a few occasions standing, including a fierce flurry against the cage, and hurt Wiman with painful shots to the body.
Jim looked close to finishing the fight on a few occasions standing, including a fierce flurry against the cage, and hurt Wiman with painful shots to the body.
While Jim’s grappling acumen was well known entering the fight, his penchant for taking opponents down to work submissions left many unaware of Jim’s stand-up arsenal.
“I’ve been working on my hands a lot,” Jim said. “I’m just trying to get better every day.”
Knowing his back was to the wall, Wiman came out with a flurry in the third, but Jim soon secured a takedown. Wiman attempted a take-down of his own in the rounds dying minutes, but a quick transition from Jim found him on Wiman’s back working to secure a rear naked choke.
Both fighters were visibly exhausted from the intense fight, however, and the fight was sent to the cards, where Jim was victorious 30-27 (twice), 30-26. At the announcement, the arena of service men and women showed their appreciation of the fight, and Jim was quick to return the love.
“That’s the inspiration of tonight,” Jim said. “I would never turn this fight down. Fighting for this cause, and for these guys in the stands, and the fallen warriors. It’s a great cause and I’ve got tot thank the UFC for putting it together. These guys lay it on the line every day for us, we can give a little back.”
What’s next for Jim is still unknown, but whoever the UFC brings him, you can count on Jim to take the fight.
“I’m looking to fight anybody,” Jim said. “Fans you ask Joe Silva to put anybody in there against me and I’ll put on a show.”
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Steps Up on Short Notice to Fight For Troops
Posted December 7, 2008
In his UFC debut, Jim made like older brother Dan by earning his first victory in the Octagon via rear naked choke. For fight number two, he is again following Dan’s lead, as he has likewise accepted his second fight in less-than two months on little-more than a week’s notice as he will square off with Matt Wiman at UFC Fights for the Troops, filling in for injured teammate Frank Edgar, Wednesday night.
While Dan may have set the precedent for the new-found understanding that the Miller Brothers are ready to fight anybody, anytime, Jim has seen fit to add an extra wrinkle to the mix. In addition to taking the fight with only eight days notice, Jim did so just days after returning from his honeymoon.
The short training camp for Jim could help Wiman on the conditioning front.
“If he was planning on beating Frankie, who’s a cardio machine, he should be in damn good shape,” Jim said. “My plan is to drag him into the deep water quickly. To try to gas him out and get him as tired as I am.”
While Jim will, as always, be looking to end the fight quickly, if he cannot, don’t count on him succumbing to the exhaustion which comes from an accelerated training camp.
“It’s only a fifteen minute fight,” Jim said. “You know, guts and determination.
“I’ll still be standing at the end of it if it goes the full distance.”
Waiting for him across the Octagon, Wiman is far from a pushover. After debuting with the UFC in an exciting match with Spencer Fisher, a match Wiman ultimately lost, Wiman parlayed his experience into a spot on The Ultimate Fighter Season 5, reaching the quarter-finals of the lightweight tournament.
Since leaving the show, Wiman has put together a streak of four consecutive victories, most recently a devastating TKO of Thaigo Tavares at UFC 85.
“He’s got a couple knock outs,” Jim said. “He’s got heavy hands, but I’m comfortable on my feet.”
The event presents a unique experience for the fighters, as only 30 tickets were auctioned off to the general public, with all proceeds going to the Fallen Heroes Fund. The remaining seats will be given freely to military personal stationed at Fort Bragg, and the event will serve also serve as a fundraiser for the organization. To donate, visit FallenHeroesFund.com.
The opportunity to put on a good show for the men and women helping to protect our country was not lost on Jim.
“It’s great,” Jim told MMAWeekly.com. “The UFC's doing a fantastic thing for these guys, putting the show on and auctioning off the tickets for the troops. It's great to be a part of it. You really feel good about that.”
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Notches Second UFC Win in Six Weeks at UFC 90
Posted October 26, 2008
The Miller brothers made their respective UFC debuts with a pair of performances which saw them dominate from start to finish. In his second fight in less than a month, Dan saw a stiffer test from Matt Horwich, but with superior striking and damaging ground and pound in the fight’s opening and closing frames, and tremendous fortitude in the middle stanza, Dan garnered a well-earned unanimous decision victory.
Dan looked as if he might put away his second early win inside the Octagon in the fight’s opening seconds, as he led-off with a superman punch before segueing into a takedown. From on top he threw heavy punches down on Horwich as the Team Quest fighter attempted to attain guard.
“I hit him hard and I could see his eyes starting to roll back in his head,” Dan said.
But Horwich, renowned for his durable chin, was able to withstand the assault and keep fighting.
“I knew he would keep coming,” Dan said. “I didn’t know he would be that tough though.”
Once on the mat, Horwich attempted an omoplata, but Dan spun out, delivering some shots to Horwich’s face in the process. Dan continued to control the round, scoring solidly on his feet with several strong strikes, as well as taking Horwich down on more than one occasion.
In the second round, following another takedown by Dan, Horwich again looked for the omoplata, using the maneuver to eventually take Dan’s back where he looked to apply a rear naked choke. While things looked bleak for Dan with the submission veteran on his back, Dan arched off the mat to allow himself room to breathe and, in a phenomenal display of heart, fought off the attack.
“I wasn’t tapping [in that situation],” Dan said. “I heard there was 1:14 left, and I was like ‘Alright, I’m going to let him choke me out if I have to.’
“I rolled until he was on his back, and I was able to get a little bit of a breath and I was able to sit there until I felt his arms loosen and peeled it off.”
As Dan pried Horwich’s arms off, the crowd roared its approval. Dan knew however that the second had evened the fight heading into final round, and came out for the third knowing that the fight was on the line.
Dan left no room for debate in the third round however, as he quickly scored the takedown and rained punches down on Horwich for the duration of the round. Horwich repeatedly looked for the omoplata sweep, but each effort was met with Dan pulling the arm free and landing a shot to the Team Quest fighter’s face.
“He’s got a tough omoplata,” Dan said. “He kept coming with that. The third round I was able to pick that up and stop it. The kid’s got a great guard.”
As the fight reached its dying minutes, with both fighters tired from the up-tempo battle, Dan turned up the pace one last time, with a barrage which left Horwich battered and bleeding from a large gash beneath his left eye. When the horn finally blew, with Dan standing over a bloody Horwich, Dan had walked away with a hard-earned victory, upping the Miller Brothers to 3-0 in the UFC.
NOTE: Dan’s fight is currently being featured for free on UFC.com. The entire fight can be watched in the front page’s primary video window.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Earns Submission of the Night in UFC Debut
Posted October 19, 2008
Coming into his UFC debut against David Baron, Jim felt he had his Octagon jitters behind him after cornering Dan against Rob Kimmons. While Jim may have gotten more time in the cage to savor his first fight on the world’s biggest stage, he was no-less dominant than his big brother en-route to a rear naked choke victory of his own, and a well-earned Submission of the Night bonus.
At 16-2 entering the contest, and fresh off a submission victory over Hayato “Mach” Sakurai, Baron came into the fight highly touted, and labeled the best fighter to come out of France. While his high-level ground skills were evident, Jim’s relentless assault was too much, and the Judo black belt succumbed to Jim’s constant submission attempts at 3:19 of the third frame.
Jim left no doubts about whose ground game was better however, as he used takedowns to attain and keep positive position in every round, and constantly forced the French fighter to be on the defensive.
“[The takedowns] were there so I went for it,” Jim said. “He was leaving it open. He really wanted to bang with me -- I’d heard that in his interview.
“His hands were kind of high, his hips weren’t where they were supposed to be to defend the takedown, so I was able to do it.”
Once on the mat, Baron showed the craftiness of a veteran in working to keep the dangerous Jim in his half-guard.
“He was really strong,” Jim said. “I was very impressed with how strong the kid was. I was in his half-guard and it was like rolling with a 205-pounder, he just pinched his legs together and stuck my leg where it was.”
Still, it could only delay the inevitable as Jim attained mount and took Baron’s back on multiple occasions, including a beautiful reversal of an attempted Judo throw in which Jim leapt onto the black belt’s back.
Even when Baron bucked and briefly attained top position in the dying seconds of the second round, Jim slapped on a triangle from guard. While having his back to the cage prevented Jim from gaining proper position to finish the triangle, he was able to lock-on a rarely-seen arm triangle from guard, though with time expiring Baron was able to ride out the round.
While Baron showed tremendous heart and defense in surviving Jim’s early attacks, Jim showed he still had plenty in the tank for the final round as he came out with the same intensity he had in round one, with similar results.
Again finding himself on Baron’s back, Jim dragged the French fighter’s left arm away from defense, before using his left hook to pin the arm at Baron’s side. With two hands to attack against Baron’s one defending appendage, Jim quickly sunk in the choke to elicit the tap and the Submission of the Night award.
Much like his brother before him however, Jim will have little time to rest on his victory or think about his next fight, as Dan is fighting this Saturday against Matt Horwich at UFC 90.
“First thing’s first,” Jim said, “I’ve got to fly to Chicago for the fights next weekend to help Dan out, and then we’ll see what Joe [Silva, UFC Matchmaker,] has for me.”
NOTE: Jim’s fight is currently being featured for free on UFC.com. The entire fight can be watched in the front page’s primary video window.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Makes Quick Work of UFC Debut
Posted September 18, 2008
It took Dan three years to find his way to the UFC cage, and less than two minutes to earn his first victory. He had little time to savor fighting in the Octagon, as he earned the tapout after just 87 seconds with a rear naked choke.
Despite the short duration, the importance of the fight was not lost on Dan.
“I kept telling myself it was like any other fight,” Dan said, “but I knew in the back of my mind it wasn’t. For me, it was do-or-die.”
Despite the enormity of the fight, Dan remained calm once the action was underway.
“I was actually really, really relaxed,” Dan said. “I just took what he gave me, and luckily it was a rear naked and it was pretty quick.”
The fighters tied up almost immediately and moved to the cage, where Kimmons attempted to score the takedown.
“We engaged and he locked up like he wanted to go tothe ground,” Dan said, “so take it to the ground.”
Dan reversed the attempt, and tried for a hip-toss of his own. The throw sent Kimmons to all-fours, while Dan was able to remain upright, allowing Dan to hop onto Kimmons’ back.
“Once I got his back I just took my time and worked it out,” Dan said.
Kimmons drove back into the cage in an effort to impede Dan’s efforts to secure his position, but Dan remained calm, and sunk in his hooks, freeing him up to go for the finish.
“He was doing a good job tying to peel that first hook off,” Dan said. “It took me a little time to get that other leg through against the cage, but I was able to sneak it in, and once I got it in, fight’s over.”
With his second leg in place, Dan snaked his right arm across Kimmons’ throat and arched back, dragging the black belt to the canvas where Kimmons quickly tapped, extending Dan’s unbeaten streak to eight fights.
Dan doesn’t have long to bask in his victory however, as his next challenge comes in preparing Jim for his UFC debut. Jim will be taking on French welterweight-turned-lightweight David Baron at UFC 89 in Birmingham, England on October 18.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Signed to the UFC
Posted July 23, 2008
After years spent facing, and submitting, the top competition the East Coast had to offer, the Miller Brothers are ready to take their games to the world’s premiere mixed martial arts organization -- the UFC. Fittingly enough, the brothers, who have been instrumental in helping each other develop as fighters, were signed together, as both Dan and Jim have earned four-fight exclusive contracts.
Dan, the elder of the two brothers, enters the UFC riding a six-fight winning streak. In addition to becoming the Cage Fury Fighting Championships Middleweight Champion in October 2006, and defending again the next April, Dan had a successful run with the International Fight League.
In his IFL debut, Dan (8-1) was tapped as a late replacement for Renzo Gracie’s Pitbulls in the 2007 Team Semi-Finals. Fighting against an experienced jiu jitsu player in Dave Phillips, Dan got things started on the right foot for the Pitbulls, authoring one of the most brutal guillotines in MMA history, a move later dubbed “the guillotine from hell” by The Rear Naked Choke. (Check out the full fight online here.)
In his follow-up performance with the IFL, Dan took on reigning Middleweight Champion Ryan McGivern. Despite being the underdog heading in, Dan quickly showed he belonged in the ring landing a hard left to the Champ’s chin. After a brief time standing, Dan took the wrestling standout to the ground, secured a knee, and took home the IFL Middleweight Title.
Jim, also on a six-fight tear, spent his time on the East Coast acquiring a complete collection of belts from the area’s top promotions. In total, his work earned him five straps from Reality Fighting, Cage Fury Fighting Championships, Battle Cage Xtreme, United States Kickboxing Association and Ring of Combat.
National audiences first were introduced to Jim (11-1) when he fought on the Pay Per View CFFC 5 card, where he successfully defended his belt against Anthony Morrison with a relentless submission assault. He followed that performance at Battle Cage Xtreme III, where he took on an opponent who missed weight by 13 pounds. Despite being severely outsized, Jim secured the win with a move dubbed “a flying rear naked choke” by play-by-play of the event, and “a superman choke” by his older brother Dan, diving horizontally onto his opponent’s back and securing the neck all in one move.
Jim then moved to a pair of Ring of Combat fights with EliteXC’s Chris Liguori, and again showed national audiences what he brought to the table. After stopping Liguori with a cut in their first meeting, Jim offered a rematch and left a definitive mark, stunning Liguori with a straight left, then sinking in a guillotine to earn his fifth title.
The win earned Jim the attention of both the IFL and the UFC, but ultimately his contract with the IFL garnered him another short camp for a fight with IFL standout Bart Palaszewski. Jim used his explosive ground game to earn a dominant decision, and it was only the extreme fortitude of Palaszewski that stretched the fight to decision victory for Jim for the first time since his debut.
No dates or opponents for the brothers have been named as yet, but stay tuned to MillerBrothersMMA.com for the latest information on the brothers’ impending debuts.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Submits McGivern to Take IFL Gold
Posted May 17, 2008
In his first fight for the International Fight League, Dan handed in a Submission of the Year candidate against Dave Phillips. In his second, he picked up where he left off with another first round submission victory to capture the IFL Middleweight Title, locking in a tight kneebar on Miletich Fight Systems’ Ryan McGivern just 3:36 into their championship tilt.
“I wasn’t looking for the kneebar,” Dan said. “I wasn’t fishing for it, but it presented itself so I took it. I have been working hard on my leg locks.
“It’s just the way it was. I went for a toe hold to try to get it, but then he straightened it out so I went for the kneebar.”
McGivern is renowned for his cardio, and many expected a long bout between the two, including Dan.
“I always look to end the fight,” Dan said. “I never want to go the distance, but I train to go the distance.
“I expected the first few rounds to be a stand up war.”
The fight held to expectations with both trading leather, and tough shots, early. After several minutes of trading, McGivern left his ankle exposed and Dan took it to secure the takedown against the collegiate wrestling standout.
“I knew once it hit the ground it was my advantage,” Dan said. “So going into that fight I was going to try to stand with him for a bit then work for the takedown but it actually came a bit earlier than I expected. That kid hits hard.
“Once it hit the ground I was comfortable.”
Once on the ground McGivern worked to tie-up in an effort to return the fighters to their feet. Dan broke his hold however and stood over McGivern, who fired off a pair of upkicks. The second strike grazed off Dan, but he used the attack to secure McGivern’s leg.
After working for a heelhook, McGivern straightened his leg to counter and Dan locked on the kneebar to earn the tap.
The fight was shocking to many who were less familiar with Dan, making only his second appearance with the organization, than they were with the former Title-Holder McGivern, who has been with the IFL since its inception.
“I love being the underdog,” Dan said. “I like going into fights where people think I’m going to lose because I like to prove myself.”
Dan may not have the luxury of being the underdog next time he enters the ring, this time with the IFL Middleweight Title on his resume.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Tops Palaszewski in IFL Debut
Posted April 5, 2008
Fighting before a hometown New Jersey crowd, and a national TV audience, Jim knew his IFL debut against Bart Palaszewski was his biggest fight to date, and a chance to establish a name for himself in the lightweight division. With a seemingly unending chain of submissions, Jim, now 11-1, seized the opportunity, and the unanimous decision victory.
“It was one of my best fights,” Jim said. “I went in with nothing to lose and fought well. Bart is tough as hell, and I have a ton of respect for him.”
Jim worked throughout the fight to extend his fight-finishing streak, but the tough Palaszewski refused to tap, handing Jim his first decision victory since his debut in 2005.
Jim looked to have Palaszewski in deep trouble in the first round, securing a takedown and locking the veteran fighter in a tight anaconda choke.
“It was pretty tight,” Jim said, “but my angle wasn't ideal.
“I was surprised he [escaped] though -- he started wheezing and I thought he was going out”
Jim again secured an anaconda in the second round, though with the choke less secure, opted instead to use the position to toss Palaszewski, sending him cart wheeling to his back.
“I just pulled that one out of my hat,” Jim said. “I was on tonight. I wasn’t hesitating.”
In the final round, both men came out strong, with Jim always looking to finish, and Palaszewski, trailing on all score cards, needing to.
The two found themselves against the ropes where they worked briefly before Jim spun behind Palaszewski and launched himself onto Palaszewski’s back before dragging the fight to the canvas. Once on the ground, Jim again began looking to secure a choke, and after snaking an arm under Palaszewski’s chin, appeared once again to be headed for the submission victory, this time by rear naked choke.
Palaszewski however, again gutted out of the hold.
“The adrenaline of sinking in a choke kicked in and [my arms] weren't that tired [from the previous chokes] until he got out,” Jim said. “Then I could barely make a fist.
“I wasn't surprised this time after he fought out of earlier chokes”
The fight not only marked Jim’s IFL debut, but also saw him fight with the legendary Renzo Gracie in his corner for the first time.
“It's great to have someone with so much experience in the corner,” Jim said of the eccentric Brazilian. “It's weird that talking to him in other places, I have trouble with his accent, but when he's yelling in the corner, I can understand everything he says.”
The fight caps off a busy month for Jim, which saw him submit Chris Liguori at a Ring of Combat event and receive contract offers from not just the IFL, but also the UFC. Jim was signed to fight for the UFC at an event just two days prior to the IFL event, but the UFC was unable to broker an agreement with the IFL for his services. While Jim took this fight on short notice, he wasn’t concerned he’d be entering under-prepared.
“I had just fought a month earlier,” Jim said, “then with the UFC fight I just kept right on training after, so I was in good shape and quite ready to fight.”
Jim’s brother Dan was also in attendance at the event, to corner his brother as well as to promote his upcoming title fight at the IFL’s next event, when he will battle current IFL Middleweight Champion Ryan McGivern.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to fight a tough guy like Ryan,” Dan said. “He's a good wrestler with good hands which will make for a good fight”
While he may be excited and ready to go for his fight, when it comes to nerves, Dan said it’s no-contest between fighting and cornering his younger brother.
“Cornering Jim makes me much more nervous, because I can't control the outcome of the fight.
“It means just as much to me if he wins as it does when I win.”
Dan has seen a lot of both lately, as Jim’s victory matched his older brother’s six-fight unbeaten streak.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim's IFL Debut Set Against Palaszewski
Posted March 24, 2008
Jim will be making his IFL debut April 4 against Bart Palaszewski at the Izod Center, filling in on short-notice for the injured Deividas Taurosevicius. Jim will be representing Renzo Gracie Academy in their match-up against Midwest Combat, which will also feature match-ups between Delson Helano (RGA) and Brad Blackburn (MC) and Jamal Patterson (RGA) and Vladimir Matyushenko (MC).
The event will be carried live on HDNet beginning at 8:30 PM EST. It will mark Jim’s third consecutive fight on MMA’s premiere network, following two victories over Chris Liguori at Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat 17 and 18.
Jim enters the match riding a five-fight winning streak to improve his record to 10-1. He has finished the fight in his last nine victories. Palaszewski (28-10) is one of the IFL’s most recognizable fighters, and a must in any conversation about the organization’s top lightweights. He will be looking to rebound from consecutive losses to Taurosevicius at the 2007 IFL Team Finals and Chris Horodecki at the 2007 Grand Prix Semi-Finals, the only men to hold victories over Palaszewski in the IFL.
In a coincidental twist, not only will Jim be making his debut in front of a home crowd at the New Jersey arena, but he will debut in the same building his older brother debuted in last August when he fought for Renzo’s Pitbulls in the IFL Team Semi-Finals. Jim will be looking to repeat his brother’s success, as Dan earned Submission of the Night, as well as recognition on many Submission of the Year lists, for his guillotine victory over the Tokyo Sabres’ Dave Phillips, helping the Pitbulls en-route to the 2007 IFL Team Championship.
UPDATE (3/31/2008) - Dan to Face McGivern For IFL Middleweight Championship
Dan will be returning to the IFL ring for the first time since the victory over Phillips May 16 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CN, when he challenges Miletich Fight System’s Ryan McGivern for the IFL Middleweight Championship.
Dan enters the fight riding a five-fight winning streak of his own, and on a six-fight unbeaten streak. In addition to the victory over Phillips, the stretch has seen Dan earn a victory at Ring of Combat 17, as well as three victories with the now-defunct Cage Fury Fighting Championships, which included winning the CFFC Middleweight Title, which he successfully defended prior to the Phillips fight. In his last fight, Dan fell victim to an accidental head-butt by Mike Guerin leading to a first round No-Contest. Dan was scheduled to make his return to the IFL at the 2007 Grand Prix Finals against Rory Markham, another Miletich fighter, but was forced to withdraw due to injury.
McGivern (12-5) has won six of his ten IFL fights, and earned the Middleweight Belt with a unanimous decision over Matt Horwich in February. The victory is McGivern’s second consecutive in the promotion, as McGivern scored a KO victory over Fabio Leopaldo at the 2007 Team Finals.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Victorious, Dan Suffers Accidental Injury at ROC 18
Posted March 8, 2008
Following his TKO victory over Chris Liguori at ROC 17 via a doctor’s stoppage, Jim was looking to put a decisive end to questions about who the better fighter was. At Ring of Combat 18 he got his chance, and refused to let it, or Liguori’s neck, out of his grip.
Following a close first round which saw the men exchange strikes as well as time on top, Jim landed a punch straight down the pipe, which rocked Liguori. Shooting for the take-down, the dazed Liguori left his neck available, and Jim locked in an arm-in guillotine to elicit the tap at 2:22 of round two, and earn Jim the ROC Lightweight Title.
The victory is Jim fifth-consecutive, and improved his record to 10-1, with the lone blemish coming in a decision defeat to Liguori’s teammate, and UFC veteran, Frank Edgar. Liguori had been riding a four-fight streak of his own prior to the fights against Jim.
While Jim earned the conclusive victory he was after, it was Dan’s turn to suffer an unsatisfying doctor’s stoppage. Dan came out throwing against the Bombsquad’s Mike Guerin, landing several strikes in the process. However, following a strike by Dan, Guerin attempted to counter and accidentally head-butted dan, breaking his nose and leading to a No-Contest at :34 of round one.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Return to Ring of Combat
Posted February 1, 2008
The Millers are returning to action at Lou Neglia's Ring of Combat XVIII at The Tropicana in Atlantic City March 7, 2008 .
Jim (9-1) will be headlining the event with a rematch against Rhino Fight Team's Chris Liguori (7-6). The two first squared off at Ring of Combat XVII, where Jim snapped Liguori's four-fight winning streak. After a dominant first round by Jim, which saw Liguori fighting off a string of submissions, Jim opened a deep gash over Liguori's right eye with an elbow from the bottom in the second. As the fighters returned to their corners, the doctors examined Liguori's cut, and determined that the fight could not continue.
Photo by MMA Photography
In his corner, Jim was outwardly unhappy with the stoppage. "Chris is a great fighter," Jim said after the fight. "You don't want to win the fight like that."
Jim will get his chance to finish Liguori in the rematch, which again promises to be a strong candidate for fight of the night.
Jim will also be looking to claim his fifth championship belt, as he and Liguori will be battling for the Ring of Combat Lightweight Title. Jim already holds the Reality Fighting Featherweight Title and holds Lightweight Titles from Cage Fury Fighting Championships, Battle Cage Xtreme and United States Kickboxing Association.
Following his decision victory over John Howard (7-2) at Ring of Combat XVII, Dan (7-1) will look to extend his winning streak to six against Mike Guerin (2-0). Dan will be returning to the ring following an injury sustained in his victory over Howard. The injury to his jaw forced Dan to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Rory Markham at the IFL Grand Prix Finals.
The winning streak, which began in June of 2006 against Dave Perez, has seen Dan earn the Cage Fury Fighting Championships Middleweight Title, as well as earn a spot on 2007 Submission of the Year lists with his standing guillotine victory over Dave Phillips. The fight will mark his third consecutive appearance before a national audience.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Out of IFL Grand Prix Finals; Brothers in the News
Posted December 25, 2007
While a facial injury has forced Dan to withdraw from his scheduled bout against Rory Markham at the IFL Grand Prix Finals, December is still proving to be a busy month of publication for the Miller Brothers.
Shortly after their victories at Ring of Combat XVII Dan spoke with Joe and Ted of The Rear Naked Choke. They discussed Dan’s withdrawal from the Grand Prix Finals card as well as Dan’s victory at the IFL Team Semi-Finals over Dave Phillips, which Joe and Ted have labeled “The Guillotine from Hell.” Check out the interview for yourself.
The standing guillotine is still drawing attention months later, as the IFL has recently uploaded the submission to their youTube channel, complete with slow motion and a reverse angle (check it out here) and Sherdog has listed it as a Submission of the Year candidate.
The brothers can also be found away from the computer in the latest Ultimate Grappling Magazine. Derek Constable and Zack Lynch took a look at the best Northeast talent that the casual fan may not yet know, and featured Jim and Dan in thier article Breeding Grounds.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMillers Sweep to Begin Wedding Weekend
Posted November 30, 2007
The Miller brothers got their busy weekend off to a good start with a pair of victories at Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat in Atlantic City at the Beasts of the Northeast Tournament Finals.
Dan (7-1) took to the ring first when he faced off against John Howard. The two had previously been scheduled to fight for the CFFC Middleweight Title before a hand injury forced Dan out of the defense. Dan made up for that missed fight with a unanimous decision victory at Ring of Combat, just two days before his wedding.
After taking the first round by controlling Howard from on top, Dan dropped the second round. Knowing the fight was on the line, Dan came out in the third and scored a takedown, and worked from on top of Howard for the duration of the round to earn the judge’s nod.
Jim (9-1) faced off against Rhino’s Chris Liguori in one of the event’s Superfights in what turned out to be the fight of the night.
Jim took the first round, though both men showed tremendous skill on the ground, leaving the crowd standing with applause following five minutes of transitions and submission attempts.
Liguori earned top position in the second round, but Jim landed a powerful elbow that split the UFC veteran. As the two returned to their corners between rounds, the ring doctor determined Liguori’s cut merited a stop to the fight. In his corner, Jim was noticeably upset about the decision to stop the fight.
“Chris is a great fighter,” Jim said after the fight, “you don’t want to win like that.”
Elsewhere on the card, Gregor Gracie earned a second round victory over Eric Henry in the card's second Superfight, and Tim Troxell, a teammate of the Millers at AMA Fight Club, earned a unanimous decision over Vasilica Goian.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers' Busy Weekend Begins at Beasts of the Northeast Finals
Posted November 7, 2007
For Jim and Dan it seems only fitting that Dan’s wedding weekend will begin in the ring. The brothers will be in action together for the first time since CFFC 4 at the Beasts of the Northeast Finals at Ring of Combat in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday, November 30.
Jim (8-1) will take on a welterweight-turned-lightweight for the second consecutive fight as he take’s on Rhino’s Chris Liguori. In his last fight, Jim submitted Nuri Shakir, who weighed in at 168 pounds for the lightweight match.
Liguori, like Jim, was scheduled to fight on the CFFC 6 card in October before the event was cancelled just a week before the fights. Looking across the ring to see Rhino in the opposing corner is becoming a familiar experience for the Millers, as this will mark the fourth opponent from the gym that Jim has faced (as well as two matches between Dan and Rhino fighters.)
Liguori (7-5) is a UFC veteran, and has held welterweight titles with Reality Fighting as well as Combat in the Cage. Liguori enters the match on a four-fight win-streak, the last of which came via choke at CFFC 5 against The Ultimate Fighter 6’s Dorian Price.
Dan (6-1) will enter the ring for the first time since his submission victory of Dave Phillips at the IFL Semi-Finals against John Howard. Dan was scheduled to defend his belt against Howard at CFFC 5 before being forced to withdraw from the fight due to a hand injury.
Howard (6-1) faced Nick Catone at CFFC 5, and lost a decision, but has since rebounded with a victory over Mandela Kponou by armbar at Combat Zone 23.
With the Friday fights behind them, the brothers will return home, where Dan will marry his fiancée Kristin on Sunday.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Scheduled to Return to IFL at Grand Prix Finals
Posted November 1, 2007
Fresh off a crowd-pleasing finish, Dan will be back in the IFL December 29 when he takes on the Silverbacks’ Rory Markham at the IFL Grand Prix Finals in Uncasville, Conn. The fight will take place at a catchweight of 175 pounds.
Markham is a sprawl-and-brawler out of Miletich Fight Systems, and is one of the IFL’s most recognizable stars. While Markham missed the IFL Team Finals, he fought for the Silverbacks in the IFL Team Semi-Finals, and registered a TKO victory over the Anacondas’ Chris Clements.
Markham has been plagued by injuries of late, but has amassed an impressive 6-1 record for the two-time champion Silverbacks, and is 12-2 professionally.
Dan (6-1) made his IFL debut at the Team Semi-Finals in August, earning submission of the night and getting things going early for the Pitbulls with a guillotine choke on the Sabres’ Dave Phillips in just ninety seconds. Phillips did not tap, and was rendered unconscious standing. The win helped the Pitbulls top the Sabres 3-2 en-route to the 2007 IFL Championship.
Elsewhere on the card, Pitbulls teammate Delson Helano will take on the Anacondas’ Jay Hieron for the IFL’s Welterweight Title.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsSlick Finish Earns Jim BCX Lightweight Title
Posted October 21, 2007
When Nuri Shakir weighed in 13 pounds overweight for his USKBA Lightweight Title fight against Jim at Battle Cage Xtreme III, there was little doubt for those who knew Jim as to whether or not he would take the fight – Jim had trained, and Jim wanted to fight, even if meant taking on a welterweight.
Jim accepted the fight, and got more than a fair challenge from Shakir. Entering the third round needing a strong showing to earn the split decision from the judges, Jim took matters into his own hands and cut out the middlemen, securing a belt-winning rear naked choke at 2:17 of the final round.
While Jim earned the USKBA Lightweight Title when Shakir failed to make weight, the submission earned him the BCX Lightweight gold as well.
After a hard-fought first two rounds, Jim and Shakir came out hard for the third. With the decision on the line, Jim secured a takedown, and Shakir kicked off in an attempt to regain his feet. As Shakir scrambled up, Jim dove onto his back, locking in the choke in the process.
The win improves Jim’s record to 8-1, with his last seven victories coming by way of submission. The new belts increase Jim’s title-count to four, joining belts earned in Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Reality Fighting.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim to Battle for BXC Belt
Posted October 18, 2007
Jim will be back in the cage this Saturday at Battle Cage Xtreme III, when he takes on Nuri Shakir for the USKBA Lightweight title.
Jim last saw action in June at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 5, where he successfully defended his CFFC Lightweight Title against Anthony Morrison. He was scheduled to defend the title again on October 13 at CFFC 6 before financial issues forced the cancellation of the event just one week prior to the scheduled date.
Having gone through fight preparations only to have the fight lost at the last minute, Jim is ready to roll one-week later thanks to BCX’s Gary Marino, who also served as match-maker for Cage Fury.
Nuri Shakir (12-13) rattled off an impressive seven-victory streak en-route to becoming the Reality Fighting Welterweight Champion with a victory over Nick Serra, and has faced numerous UFC veterans, including Drew Fickett and Thiago Alves. Following a brief string of losses, culminating in a defeat to the UFC’s Tamden McCrory, Shakir will be looking to make the transition to lightweight against Jim.
Elsewhere on the card, Kevin Jordan will be facing BCX Heavyweight Champion Carlos Moreno and Josh Spearman will take on former CFFC Champion Nick Cottone for the BCX Flyweight Title.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan Earns Sub-of-the-Night in IFL Semis for Victorious Pitbulls
Posted August 3, 2007
Dan's IFL debut lasted less than two minutes, but his efforts were sure to leave an impression on the 7,077 fans at East Ruthorford's Continental Airlines Arena. Dan secured a deep standing guillotine on Dave Phillips, rendering the Sabre unconscious just 1:30 into the fight. The finish ignited the crowd and earned Dan Submission of the Night honors.
Dan looked to take the fight to Phillips, throwing a quick strike before pushing in for the takedown. Dan picked Phillips up for the slam, and landed in side-control. Phillips was able to re-establish guard, attempting a razor armbar in the process. Dan pinned Phillips' right arm with his knee, but Phillips used the opportunity to attack Dan's right arm.
"I got careless," Dan said. "I got his arm pinned and I got overexcited at the opportunity for some free hammer-fists on his face. The razor hurt, but the armbar he didn't have the right angle."
Dan used the armbar attempt to his advantage, picking Phillips up and slamming him for the second time. As Phillips scrambled after the slam, Dan secured the choke and the 1-0 Pitbulls lead.
"It was almost more of a ten-finger choke," Dan said. "I could feel his throat crushing around my hand. It was pretty sick.
"I didn't know that he was out, but I knew it was deep. When I looked down, all I could see was neck. His entire head was caught."
Following the referee stoppage, Phillips slumped to the canvas as Dan was embraced by his teammates.
The Pitbulls lead was extended in the match's second pairing, when Brian Vetell earned a unanimous decision over the Sabres' Wayne Cole. Vetell used knees in the clinch to soften Cole up for takedowns to win the judges' favor.
Deividas Taurosevicius, who took the fight on short notice, secured the win for the Pitbulls as he topped Savant Young. The two fighters were back-and-forth throughout the fight, but ultimately Taurosevivius' efforts, highlighted by an extended ride on Young's back which led to an armbar attempt in the second round's waning seconds, were enough to earn the unanimous decision.
The early lead would prove to be crucial as the Sabres took the match's final two pairings.
Antonio McKee's wrestling was enough to earn a controversial split decision over the Pitbulls Delson Helano. The match was perhaps most memorable for an extended stoppage following a knee to McKee's cup in the second round. McKee took the full five-minute allotment he was entitled to, despite the displeasure of some of those in attendence.
In the night's final fight, Tim Boetch surprised many by staying with Vladimir Matyushenko throughout their light heavyweight bout. Boetch, who took the fight just days prior, and had fought the previous weekend, took the IFL's uncrowned light heavyweight champion the distance, and attempted several guillotine chokes. In the end Matyushenko was too much for Boetch, and earned the unanimous decision victory to make the final score 3-2 in favor of Renzo's Pitbulls.
The defending IFL Champion Silverbacks punched their ticket in the finals with a 4-1 victory over a depleted Anacondas squad in the night's first match. The Anacondas, who earned the tournament's top seed with their undefeated regular season, became the only team in IFL history to beat the Silverbacks in their season opener, but were done in by the absence of team stars Chris Horodecki and Jay Hieron.
Mike Ciesnolevicz faced Alex Schoenauer in a rematch of a controversial split decision, which went to the Silverbacks' Ciesnolevicz. Once again the two fought a close battle, and while Schoenauer earned a 30-27 win on one card, he failed to carry the other judges, losing another split decision.
Rory Markham and Bart Palaszewski took advantage of the Anaconda's absentees, earning a first round TKO against Chris Clements and guillotine over Harris Sarmiento respectively to seal the Silverbacks' revenge.
The Anacondas got on the board in the fourth pairing when middleweight Benji Radich downed Gerald Harris in the first round via TKO. The momentum was shortlived however as Ben Rothwell knocked out Krzysztof Soszynski in just thirteen seconds to make the final score 4-1 for the fourth-seeded Silverbacks.
UPDATE: Pitbulls Highlights
IFL.tv has a highlight of the Pitbulls' night, featuring interviews with Dan, his teammates and coach Renzo Gracie, as well as as-yet unaired video, including Dan's slam and submission.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsDan to Fight for Pitbulls in IFL Playoffs
Posted July 12, 2007
Dan will be in action again August 2nd at Continental Airlines Arena, representing Renzo Gracie and the New York Pitbulls in the IFL Playoffs. The Pitbulls will be facing the Sabres in one of two semi-final matches on the card.
Dan will be facing the Sabres’ Dave Philips (7-3) in the teams’ 185 lbs. match-up. Philips will be making his IFL debut in place of Kazuhiro Hamanaka, who struggled during the regular season.
The IFL is a team-based league, with one fighter per-team squaring off at each weight class from lightweight to heavyweight. The team which wins three or more weight classes wins the match.
Also on the card, the Anacondas will take on the defending champion Silverbacks. Tickets for the event can be purchased through Ticketmaster, and the fights will be televised in the weeks following the event on IFL Battleground on Fox Sports Network.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsJim Entertains with Jiu Jitsu Clinic at CFFC 5
Posted June 24, 2007
Jim successfully defended his CFFC Lightweight Title at CFFC 5 against Atlantic City MMA’s Anthony Morrison. Jim (7-1) extended his submission streak with a triangle choke at 4:56 of the first round. His last six victories have come by submission.
Morrison came out early looking to score takedowns, in a move opposed to the gameplan many expected from the heavy-handed fighter. The move backfired, as it brought the fight to the ground, where Jim’s superior grappling was evident.
Jim attempted a string of submissions from guard throughout the round, including a crowd-pleasing omaplata. Morrison fought off the submissions gamely, but Jim’s speed and wide array of submissions were too much, leading to the conclusive triangle.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsNational Audience Awaits Jim Miller's First Title Defense
Posted June 8, 2007
CFFC 5 promises to be a show few will soon forget, with a card stacked with the best talent the east coast has to offer. Jim Miller will be looking to give fans plenty to remember as he takes to the cage to defend his CFFC Lightweight Title in one of the Saturday’s five championship matches.
Jim (6-1) will be looking to make his first defense of the title against Atlantic City MMA’s Anthony Morrison (3-2).
While Jim’s tenure with CFFC has been shorter than his older brother Dan, he has been impressing fans on the local scene for just as long, and he has been no less impressive in the cage. Jim made short work of former CFFC Lightweight Champion Al Buck to claim the belt in his CFFC debut.
Much like his older brother’s first title fight, Jim’s effort was highlighted by a thunderous slam which led quickly to the mount. When Buck turned away from Jim’s strikes, Jim applied the rear naked choke, and forced the Champ to tap just shy of the bout’s two-minute mark.
The victory was an impressive come-back bout from Jim’s lone setback, a three round war with the UFC’s Frank Edgar which Edgar won by decision.
Jim’s last five victories have come by submission, three of them in the first round, and he will be looking to continue that streak against Morrison.
Morrison (3-2) may be best known by CFFC fans for a post-fight altercation at CFFC II, in which Morrison entered the ring to call out Malachy Friedman. Friedman had lost to Buck earlier in the night, after being defeated himself by current NABC Lightweight Champion Deividas Taurosevicius. The crowd booed Morrison out of the cage, and he was involved in a scuffle on his way backstage.
Morrison was suspended for the incident, however when his suspension ended in time for CFFC IV, “Little Rampage,” who comes to the ring with a chain of his own, showed he has what it takes to put on a show in the cage as well.
Morrison battled Spencer Paige for three rounds, earning the unanimous decision.
The win was Morrison’s second with CFFC, as the setback at CFFC II came after an exciting knockout victory over Josh Loushin at CFFC’s debut event. Morrison’s hands and tempo were too much for Loushin, as the fight lasted only 57 seconds.
While brothers defending titles on the same card would have no doubt been an appealing prospect, Dan was forced to withdraw from his scheduled title defense against John Howard due to an injury to his hand. Howard (5-0) will be fighting against Nick Catone in a non-title fight instead.
Kimbo Slice will be making his highly anticipated MMA debut against former heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer in the card’s main event. Kimbo had been looking to get into MMA for some time now, and CFFC’s Gary Marino made it happen, lining up an interesting first test for the street fighting legend.
Kimbo has been training in MMA with the Freestyle Fighting Academy, and while there has been speculation that two will stand and throw, don’t be surprised to see Kimbo try to take the boxer to the unfamiliar territory of the canvas.
Elsewhere on the card, Taurosevicius will be taking on Kevin Roddy for the NABC Lightweight Title. Roddy will be making his CFFC debut, but he has a wealth of experience, including a defeat to Jim by way of rear naked choke in the first round.
Taurosevicius is no stranger to fighting on a big stage, having recently procured a win in the IFL over Zach George with an armbar in the first round. Following his win over Morrison, Taurosevicius earned the NABC title by defeating UFC veteran Dan Lauzon with a second round triangle choke.
Dante Rivera will be putting his NABC Middleweight Title on the line against Alexis Aquino, a CFFC fan favorite. Rivera, who also can claim IFL experience, won the belt at CFFC III by way of an arm-triangle choke in the second round against Erick Charles.
Aquino is the only fighter who can lay claim to holding victories on all four prior CFFC cards. He scored knockouts in his first two fights with the organization, before outlasting Nissim Levy to earn a decision victory at CFFC III. Aquino shored up his claim to a title shot with his rear naked choke victory over Charles at CFFC IV.
CFFC Light Heavyweight Champion Josh Rhodes will be making his much anticipated return to CFFC. Rhodes won the belt against Lamont Lister at CFFC II after Lister slid off of Rhodes back and onto his head.
Rhodes debuted with CFFC with a first round stoppage of Wayne Cole.
Taking on Rhodes will be the Ultimate Fighter’s Noah Inhofer. Inhofer won his first fight on the show, before withdrawing from the competition. Since TUF, Inhofer earned a second round TKO of David Kleckzkowski.
CFFC V will also feature Mike Varner as he looks to remain CFFC’s Welterweight Champion when he takes on former Reality Fighting Champion Nick Serra, UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra’s brother.
Varner won the belt against Carlos Nieves with a second round TKO.
Serra likewise holds a Championship win over Nieves, having won his Reality Fighting title with a second round triangle choke.
The card’s remaining non-title fights still promise plenty of fireworks.
Anytime a Gracie steps into the cage, there is going to be excitement, as is the case with Gregor Gracie’s debut fight against Josh Lydell. While Gracie has yet to compete in an MMA match, by virtue of being a Gracie alone, expectations will be high.
Buck will also be appearing on the card, squaring off against Brian DeMuro in one of the night’s three non-title welterweight matches, the last of which will feature Doug “Flash” Gordon and Lyman Good.
In just five events, CFFC has risen to the top of the ranks in east coast MMA. The fights will be beginning at 8 p.m. in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, and will also be available to those who cannot be in attendance on Pay-Per-View with inDemand.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Featured in Full Contact Fighter
Posted May 28, 2007
Jim and Dan have been highlighted in the latest issue of Full Contact Fighter Magazine. Full Contact Fighter is the United States' premiere Mixed Martial-Arts magazine.
Derek Constable, of MMA Photography, sat down with the brothers for an interview and wrote an excellent full-page feature story. The brothers' recent victories at CFFC 4, in which Dan defended his Middleweight Title and Jimmy won the Lightweight Title, are also covered in the issue in a two-page spread on the event.
Full Contact Fighter Magazine can be purchased through FCFighter.com.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Dominance Headlines Exciting CFFC 4
Posted April 14, 2007
Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall was packed for Cage Fury Fighting Championships’ much anticipated fourth event, and the fighters did not disappoint. Brothers Jim and Dan Miller highlighted the night with impressive victories, becoming the first brothers to hold titles in CFFC.
Jim won the CFFC Lightweight Title with an efficient victory over former champion Al Buck, of Evo Fight Club. After an early break, caused by an accidental knee to Buck’s groin out of the clinch, the fighters squared off, and Jim took the fight to the mat with a thunderous slam. After working to advance his position, Jim took Buck’s back and sunk in a rear naked choke.
Buck is known by CFFC fans for his toughness, having survived in a rear naked choke against Malachy Friedman for over a minute before winning the title by strikes, but Jim’s ground skills proved to be too much as Buck was forced to tap just 1:58 into the first round.
In the main event, Dan took on Rhino Fight Team’s Jose Rodriguez for the CFFC Middleweight Title. With many Rhino fighters on the card the crowd showed strong support for Rodriguez, but it would be Dan who would ultimately control the fight. Utilizing smooth takedowns Dan got the fight to the ground in all three rounds.
Using his strong base in jiu jitsu and wrestling Dan worked from on top for nearly the entire fight, and attained the mount in both the first and third rounds. Dan attempted to lock up an armbar late in the third round, but Rodriguez was able to escape and force one last stand up. While Rodriguez landed a strong knee, Dan was again able to take down the Rhino fighter, allowing him to throw punches from on top as the third round ended. With the final bell the scores came back a unanimous 30-27 for Dan.
Two other titles were on the line as defending NABC Welterweight Champion Tamdon McCrory maintained his title with a submission victory over Nuri Shakir, and challenger Clint Godfrey dethroned CFFC Bantamweight Champ Nick Cottone with an armbar.
Elsewhere on the card, Jonathan Helwig, a training partner of the Miller Brothers, opened the night with a unanimous decision victory over Ken Owens in an absolute war. CFFC III Shelby Walker Heart of a Lion Award recipient Alexis Aquino of Rhino improved to 4-0 with his rear naked choke victory over Erick Charles, after his teammate Chris Ligouri gave similar treatment to Team Severn’s Dorian Price with a quick guillotine.
Kimbo Slice and Ray Mercer, set to square off at CFFC 5, were both in attendance, as were UFC and Pride veterans Ricco Rodriguez and Nick Diaz, who presented the champions with their belts.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Earn Purple Belts
Posted March 27, 2007
MillerBrothersMMA.com is proud to announce that both Jim and Dan have earned their purple belts in Jiu Jitsu at American Martial Arts under Jamie Cruz.
Jim and Dan have been training at AMA since January and have been working hard to prepare for their upcoming title fights at Cage Fury IV in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall April 13.
Jim and Dan to Fight for CFFC Titles
Posted February 27, 2007
The Miller Brothers will be looking to take two belts home with them from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall April 13, where they will both be vying for Cage Fury Fighting Championships Titles at CFFC IV.
Jim will be making his CFFC debut against current Lightweight champion Al Buck, and will be looking to show the CFFC fans why many are calling him one of the East Coast's premiere 155 lbs fighters.
Buck gained the belt at CFFC II after defeating Malachy Friedman. Buck won by TKO after surviving a long rear-naked choke attempt by Friedman, and earned the Shelby Walker Heart of a Lion award for the night
Dan will look to make his first Middleweight Title defense against challenger Jose Rodriguez. Dan captured the belt with a dominating first round victory over Lance Everson by rear-naked choke at CFFC II, highlighted by a powerful slam.
Rodriguez earned his title shot through a recent streak in which he has won 3 of 4 fights. He will be making his CFFC debut after his opponent for CFFC III, Sean Liddell, was forced to withdraw.
Cage Fury held it's first event June 2006, and has quickly risen to become one of the area's top MMA promotions, with commentary provided by UFC veteran Dan Severn, and past appearances by former UFC Champions Evan Tanner, Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz.
Return to Top of Article | Return to Top of NewsMiller Brothers Joing AMA Karate
Posted January 17, 2007
Following the closing of Planet Jiu Jitsu, the Miller Brothers are happy to begin training at AMA Karate, with Head Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Instructor Jamie Cruz (left, top) and Head Instructor Michael Constantino (left, bottom).
Cruz holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Renzo Gracie, and has competed in the sport at the highest levels, including Abu Dhabi and the Pan Am games.
Jim and Dan will be training in a multitude of fields at AMA, which offers classes in many disciplines, including MMA staples Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.
With their return to regular training, Jim and Dan are also eager to get back into the ring in order to add to their ever improving professional MMA resumes. Constantino will be handling the responsibilities of manager for Jim and Dan, and they are excited to be working with him both on and off the mats.
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