Jim Miller made sure UFC 200 started with a bang. So did Takanori Gomi, in his own way.
Gomi, the Japanese legend and former Pride lightweight kingpin, suffered his third consecutive first-round knockout loss when fellow veteran Miller ground and pounded his way to a TKO just 2:18 into the opening stanza.
The only significant offensive move Gomi had an opportunity to try was a kick aimed at Miller’s midsection. Miller caught the kick, drove Gomi to the ground and immediately took his back. Gomi, who has never been known for ground fighting, tried to shake Miller off, but the attempt was in vain.
Miller locked on a body triangle and flattened Gomi belly-down on the canvas, which was dyed bright yellow for UFC 200. Gomi (35-12-1) was essentially defenseless as Miller teed off on his head with strikes from both hands. It didn‘t take a lot of time in this position for the referee to wave off the contest.
The win was impressive for Miller (26-8-1) but may have staved off more promotional hot water for the lightweight, who had lost three of four coming into Las Vegas Saturday night. But all that was behind him, at least for the moment, after the dominant TKO.
“I’ve been feeling really good and able to get back to form,” Miller said in a statement released to media members after the fight by the UFC. “My last couple fights I didn’t really fight the way I normally do and what got me here and I think I’ve got everything figured out. I’m feeling a lot better and it’s easier to be aggressive.”
The New Jersey native is still only 32 years old, and despite falling on hard times in recent years, he will almost surely remain in the UFC’s employ. He’s no longer a contender in the division, but his name recognition and gritty style could position him well for a gatekeeper role or more novelty contests in the vein of Saturday’s bout with Gomi.
Gomi, meanwhile, appears completely shot. His take-two-shots-to-give one style was electric when it worked, as evidenced by the 13 career knockouts he has garnered in 35 pro MMA wins. But those epic battles did a number on his chin, which no longer appears capable of absorbing a lot of UFC-level punishment. His toughness and heavy striking power used to cover up his lack of a ground game but not anymore. Miller’s exposure of that weakness was just the latest demonstration of that.
Although three straight losses are usually a sign that a UFC release is imminent, it’s possible Gomi‘s legendary status could keep him around a while longer. Whether that is advisable is an open question for now.
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