This past weekend, one of the more decorated veterans of the UFC made a record breaking walk. Jim “A-10” Miller (34-16, 1 NC) made the walk to the octagon for the 39th time which set the record for the UFC.
Miller was taking on a tough up-and-comer in Nikolas Motta (12-4). After earning a UFC contract back in late 2020, Motta was finally making his debut with the promotion after a few cancellations. He was more motivated than ever.
However, he had a tough test in facing off against the veteran Jim Miller. Throughout the first part of the fight, both men were having their moments, but I was incredibly impressed with the way the 38-year-old Miller looked.
Then, in the second round, he dropped Motta. Miller followed up with some brutal shots and scored the TKO win at UFC Vegas 48 which was his second consecutive win. Not only that, the win furthered a few more of his records.
As mentioned, Miller already has the record for the most wins in the UFC. However, he also has a couple of lightweight record including most wins (21) and the most finishes in lightweight history (14).
What’s next after UFC Vegas 48?
Halfway through 2021, things were looking down for Jim Miller. The veteran had lost two fights in a row and given his age, many were wondering how much he had left in the tank. Well, Miller has answered those doubts emphatically with his last two UFC wins.
Miller has faced two really solid lightweight prospects and he’s knocked both of them out. He honestly looked better than ever on Saturday night. Miller has stated that his goal is to fight at UFC 300 which is scheduled to take place in 2024.
With the way he looks right now, I have no doubts that he’s going to make it there. Now, after that win, who should the UFC pair him with next? Well, we know that he’s not going to get a ranked opponent next, but I think he needs to get someone who is coming off some good performances.
Perhaps we look at the winner of the Jared Gordon – Rafael Alves fight that takes place in April. Or, if you want to throw the hot prospect to the wolves, why not give Paddy Pimblett a shot if he’s able to win in March. Talk about a stiff test, but one that could pay off big time for the Brit.
Either way, the UFC has a lot of options and Jim Miller is going no where!