FIGHT TIME
Saturday, July 8th
7:00 PM PST
10:00 PM EST
Las Vegas, Nevada
The Flashy Former Champ Returns to the Cage in this Explosive Striker vs. Grappler Match-Up!
Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis:
The Milwaukee born, 'RoufusSport' trained fighter is the former WEC and UFC lightweight champion. Pettis was the most feared man at 155 pounds for the early part of this decade, and he has always been a top 5 fighter (even at featherweight). He defeated Benson Henderson to win the lightweight belt in WEC's final event (which occurred in December of 2010); shortly thereafter he was signed to the UFC.
A string of injuries caused Pettis to delay his UFC run, and oddly enough Benson Henderson became the lightweight champion in his absence. Once Pettis was fully healed and got a couple lackluster performances out of the way, he started to dominate any fighter who challenged him on the feet. Pettis is a lightning fast tae-kwon-do black belt whom dismantled the top 10 contenders with single blows. In karateka style, Pettis sent Joe Lauzon to the blackness with one of the most brutal headkicks ever seen in the cage. Donald Cerrone (whom had a win over Henderson as well) fought Pettis for the number one contender spot in 2013; he fell victim to a paralyzing liver kick set up by the flashy yet precise knees and punches of 'Showtime'.
Pettis is also a legitimate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt; once Anthony received the title shot he made easy work of Benson by hurting him with kicks to the body, and submitting him with a swift triangle choke from guard (off his back). Pettis has had a string of tough losses lately: with the variance of tough weight cuts and top contenders, confidence has seemed strained in Pettis' corner. He will need to come in revitalized and as his old self to dominate the ranks once more!
Jim Miller:
No moniker, no flash...just grit. Jim Miller is the blue collar workman's fighter, he is a relentless everyman who's never let the size or strength of an opponent deter him. He is an absolute dog in the cage with no quit, a legendary lightweight who never found his way out of a fight.
Miller is one of the few fighters that acts as an equal threat to both strikers and grapplers, he has submitted jiu-jitsu aces in Charles Oliviera, and hung on the ground with the very best black belts in Joe Lauzon and Nate Diaz. Although Jim has been finished in fights (by submission as well), this was always a result of being hurt on the feet.
In a pure wrestling and jiu-jitsu matchup, Jim Miller will hang in there with the world's absolute best. He has exposed newcomers to the come for years, and acted as a gatekeeper to the lightweight's top 10 his whole career. He submitted Melvin Guillard and Duane Ludwig in their prime, both men were arguably the most feared strikers in their weight classes. This is another feared striker Jim must under take, but it's nothing new at the office....
Breakdown and Prediction:
Jim Miller comes into this bout as the older man by 3 years, the shorter man by 1 inch, and at a reach disadvantage of 1 inch. Both men have been through high-pressure fights, and as a 3 rounder, this actually favors Miller. Pettis can not let Jim steal the 1st round on him with a few takedowns and transitions, Pettis will have to dominate with defensive wrestling and powerful counter shots.
Miller has shown weakness to body kicks before, as he was exposed in his main event war with 'Cowboy' Cerrone, so Pettis would be wise to lean on his favorite weapon as kryptonite in this bout. This is a grappler who loves to brawl vs. a striker who loves to control pace and ease into rhythm; stylistically this is a nightmare for Anthony Pettis, but it is the intangibles that win fights. Miller is less a takedown artist then he is a pure jiu-jitsu fighter, so that will help Anthony keep things standing. Pettis has really only had trouble with pressure fighters that can keep a wrestlers pace for 15 minutes.
Both men are at a crossroads of their career, but Pettis has fallen much farther. Two years ago, this would have been an easy call for Pettis by knockout in the 1st round, but this is a sport of drastic changes and I can not see the same result. If 'Showtime' has any of that champion spirit left, he will win this fight by any means necessary...we will see what both men bring to the table July 8th!
Prediction: Anthony Pettis: TKO Round 2
