Jim Miller is steadily slipping from contender to perennial lightweight gatekeeper.
The New Jersey native was finished for the first time of his professional career by Nate Diaz in front of his hometown fans in East Rutherford at UFC on Fox 3 on Saturday night.
Diaz used his reach and pinpoint accuracy to outland Miller on the feet. Takedowns were expected to be the key for Miller, but he was stuffed on every shot in the open and negated in all attempts from the clinch.
By the end of the second round, Miller was bloodied and battered, and in typical Diaz fashion, Nate began to open up with trash talk and a volley of punches.
Miller made a last-ditch effort on a telegraphed takedown attempt which proved to be his undoing, as Diaz countered with a modified guillotine choke to net the tap at 4:09 of the second round.
What’s next for Miller?
In such a stacked division, Miller has a long road ahead of him back to the top of the contender’s column.
Here are five fights he should take next.