(Video courtesy of YouTube/Spenny12311)
When the UFC announced that Jason Miller would be coaching opposite Michael Bisping next season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV, it really didn’t surprise anyone considering that “Mayhem” already enjoyed success on another Viacom-owned network with MTV’s Bully Beatdown.
In a recent video for UFC.com about his inclusion on the show, Miller spoke about the opportunity of turning UFC fans into Mayhem fans and vice versa.
“I think my first reaction to getting on TUF would probably be, ‘It’s about time.’ I think that if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s beating up people. If there’s two things I’m good at, it’s beating up people and saying moderately funny things on cable television,” Miller explained. “Look, Dana and Lorenzo didn’t get here by throwing a bunch of money at a problem. They got where they are because they are smart dudes. They know what sells and they realize that I have an independent fan base that’s not just UFC fans. I’ll be able to pull some of my fans onto their television program which will be great. It will be fantastic. It’s good for me, for them…it’s good for everybody. It’s good for MMA. It’s going to be fun and it will broaden the horizons for the fringe fans who are just becoming interested in mixed martial arts. My goal is to make this the best season of TUF, the highest rated season and to smash a Brit at the end of it. I think the UFC did a great job picking me as a coach because I’m really gonna turn TUF on its head.”
As far as Bisping goes, Miller says that the Spike production team won’t have to do use creative editing to make the much maligned Brit look any worse than he makes himself.
“I feel great getting the TUF spot. It’s a little early to start the smack talk but I’m going to beat the bangers and mash out of Bisping after my team smashes his team. Now that Osama is dead, Bisping is the most hated man in America,” he said. “Everybody hates that guy. I wonder what it’s like to actually be hated that much. You would have to put a terrorist attack together to be hated any more than he is.”
Speaking of his coaching abilities, which he has honed over several years in the game working as a part-time trainer at Team Quest and now Kings MMA, Miller says he’ll probably surprise people next season with his training and mentoring skills.
“I think that one thing that there’s one thing that people kind of discount because I’m usually very smiley, funny guy, but I’ve worked very hard to get to this point in my life and [I’ve] really dedicated my life to the art of mixed martial arts and I think it’s a beautiful art and it’s a very entertaining thing to watch when somebody executes their moves very well,” Miller points out earnestly. “I hope this season of TUF I get to help some artist’s improve their art. The difference between me and other coaches would most likely be my passion. I’m gonna go in there and leave everything on the mat. Every practice we go through is going to be focused on getting the guys better. And I really care, you know? I give a chicken salad about these guys.”