Tag: Jason Mayhem Miller

The Forward Roll: The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale Edition

Filed under: UFCNot long after Michael Bisping was pulled off of Jason “Mayhem” Miller, signifying a TKO victory in the TUF 14 Finale main event, UFC president Dana White voiced his displeasure, calling it “the most one-sided fight I might have ever se…

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Not long after Michael Bisping was pulled off of Jason “Mayhem” Miller, signifying a TKO victory in the TUF 14 Finale main event, UFC president Dana White voiced his displeasure, calling it “the most one-sided fight I might have ever seen in the UFC.”

Given that Miller won the first round on the scorecards of many observers, that seems a bit harsh. This year alone, there have been plenty of other main events, let alone less significant matches, that were far more one-sided than Miller-Bisping. Less than one month ago, Junior dos Santos beat Cain Velasquez in just 64 seconds. In the fall, Jake Ellenberger KO’d Jake Shields in just 53 seconds. In March, Jon Jones beat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua from the opening horn until the third-round finish. Yet Bisping-Miller is the fight he singled out.

That can’t be seen as a good sign for Miller, who gave the UFC an entertaining season of TUF, but now awaits word of his future.

To date, no TUF coach has been cut from the UFC after losing in his first match after the show ended, although there are two asterisks worth noting. After TUF 9, Dan Henderson beat opposing coach Bisping, then left the promotion when the sides couldn’t reach a deal to extend his expiring contract. And in his first fight after TUF 11, Chuck Liddell was knocked out by Rich Franklin and later retired.

In my opinion, Miller deserves another opportunity. While his offense can be unorthodox, he is still a competitive fighter and brings entertainment value with his presence. The UFC insists they want game fighters who come to put on a show. Even though he lost, Miller did that. He didn’t go quietly or surrender. He took a beating and fought on until the referee put common sense ahead of courage. Cutting Miller would send a conflicting message from what fighters have always been told.

On to the future matchups…

Michael Bisping
Another strong performance from the Brit, who remains perpetually underrated and underappreciated despite few holes in his game. After his win, White alluded to the possibility of Bisping being added on to the UFC on FOX event. That would be a fast turnaround, but Bisping always seems to answer the UFC’s call. The question is who would be worth his while.

Right about now, a Bisping vs. Vitor Belfort fight would make good sense, but Belfort is locked into an evening with Anthony Johnson, and the UFC generally doesn’t like to shuffle fighters around after they’re already in the midst of preparing for something specific. So what’s left? Mark Munoz and Chael Sonnen have a date, Anderson Silva is on the shelf, and Brian Stann is coming off a loss. Barring anything unexpected, that leaves one choice.
Prediction: He faces Demian Maia

Jason Miller
It would be a mistake to cut Miller. He’s one of the few non-champions able to generate interest from mainstream media due to his TV stint as a host on “Bully Beatdown,” and this recent loss aside, he’s a credible fighter.

For his return, I’d give him a name the fans know, and one who is also teetering on the brink of unemployment.
Prediction: He fights CB Dollaway

Diego Brandao
Brandao received an extraordinary amount of praise for his promise and success throughout season 14, and he also showed poise under pressure in the finale, overcoming a rough start in the early moments of the first round of his featherweight final with Dennis Bermudez before rebounding with a highlight-reel armbar submission.

For all the raves that have come his way, Brandao has much to work on. His striking can be too wild, he can be lured into wars, and he doesn’t have great takedown defense. At just 24 years old, he has time to work on those shortcomings, and shouldn’t be brought along too quickly.
Prediction: Brandao faces a promotional newcomer in the spring

Dennis Bermudez
Bermudez looked excellent for nearly the entire first round until making a mistake on the ground and leaving himself open to the arm bar. Unfortunately, that seems to be a running theme for Bermudez, who has lost each of his last three pro bouts by first-round submission.

He’ll likely get another shot in the octagon but it’s going to be sink or swim for him next time around.
Prediction: Bermudez faces either Marcus Brimage or Steve Siler

Tony Ferguson
The standout fighter on season 13 of TUF, Ferguson moved his record to 3-0 in the octagon with a solid decision win over veteran Yves Edwards. Such a victory shouldn’t be discounted. To defeat someone with a reservoir of experience on which to draw on is a feat worthy of our attention, particularly given the way Ferguson accomplished it in a workmanlike fashion.

His combination of striking and wrestling ability will make Ferguson a tough out as his confidence grows and he continues on up the ladder.
Prediction: Danny Castillo is coming off a strong win of his own. He sounds about right for Ferguson.

John Dodson
The littlest guy in the house might have been its baddest dude, as he KO’d three of his four opponents in the bantamweight bracket on the way to taking the TUF crown among 135ers.

Dodson has flashed big power as well as the ability to dump opponents on their backs when necessary. Combine those attributes with his athleticism and speed, and you’ve got yourself a pretty intriguing fighter. Sure, he should probably be fighting at flyweight, but that long-rumored division doesn’t seem much closer to happening now than it did 12 months ago, so he’s going to have to roll with the bigger guys until then.
Prediction: He faces Ken Stone

TJ Dillashaw
Dillashaw reminded me of Dollaway a bit, a hyped wrestler who fell short in the TUF finals to a smaller man, but regardless of the disappointing performance, he has some undeniable talent which leads me to believe he’ll rebound and make himself a force in the division somewhere down the line.

Though his roots are in wrestling, he does show a good striking game with the exception of keeping his hands so low. At his experience level, a loss isn’t the worst thing in the world, as it will allow Dillashaw a chance to progress at a more deliberate pace.
Prediction: He faces Alex Soto

 

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Falling Action: Best and Worst of TUF 14 Finale

Filed under: UFCThe TUF 14 Finale once again made use of the claustrophobically ‘intimate’ setting in the Pearl at the Palms on Saturday night. It’s the kind of arena that lets you hear everything from the smack of the gloves to the belligerent shouts …

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Diego BrandaoThe TUF 14 Finale once again made use of the claustrophobically ‘intimate’ setting in the Pearl at the Palms on Saturday night. It’s the kind of arena that lets you hear everything from the smack of the gloves to the belligerent shouts of individual audience members, which is both good and bad, sometimes all at once.

For me personally, one benefit of the limited space at cageside was that I ended up sitting directly behind the Octagon girls. What did I learn from the experience? Mainly that Chandella and Arianny have zero problem eating candy and junk food all night. Seriously, we’re talking Skittles, Reese’s peanut butter cups, even Oreos.

And honestly? I was impressed. A lot of people might assume that women who wear a bikini to work must be starving themselves, but they definitely aren’t. Maybe it’s not a dietary strategy that all of us could pursue and still look good on TV, but it’s obviously working for them. Score one for Skittles.

On to Saturday night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between…

Biggest Winner: Diego Brandao
We could argue all day about whether a TUF title really means anything (though let’s not do that; I have errands to run), but a great fight is a great fight no matter what’s at stake. From his entrance music to his recklessly aggressive style, Brandao really is like a 145-pound Wanderlei Silva, only without the weird post-facelift look. He and Bermudez combined for one of the best finale fights in recent memory, packing three rounds of action into just a little under one round of actual fighting. Brandao’s style obviously opens him up to danger, as we saw, but it’s also incredibly exciting to watch. That man gets in the cage with the goal of writing his name in blood — yours or his, he doesn’t seem to care. For fans who love to complain that the smaller fighters lack finishing power, he’s the perfect addition to the UFC roster. He’s a brutal little wrecking ball who can end fights on his feet or on his back. Better yet, he will force even the most strategically-minded opponents into a car wreck inside the cage. The featherweight class could use that infusion of violence right now, and Brandao may be just the man to deliver it.

Biggest Loser: Jason “Mayhem” Miller
As much as I love his antics inside the cage and out, that was bad. Not even just a little bad, either. It was very, very bad, and at the exact worst time for him, career-wise. Who knows why he gassed out quickly. Bisping would like to think it was his doing, but that sounds a little bit like when Chael Sonnen tried to take credit for Paulo Filho’s bizarre behavior in their WEC rematch. Whatever was wrong with “Mayhem” was most likely internal, not external. Maybe the pressure got to him more than he expected it to. Maybe it was all that time outside the cage. Maybe it was some combination. Regardless of the reason, by the second round he had nothing left to threaten Bisping with, and all he could do then was take his beating like a man. Which he did, by the way. He ran on fumes for as long as he could, and then he got out and pushed. The end result was a beating that stretched on like the excruciating last act of a Terrence Malick movie. Hopefully the UFC and the fans won’t judge him too harshly on the basis of that one fight, since he can definitely do better. He just has to do it soon.

Mr. Split Personality: Michael Bisping
Just when you think he’s going full heel, he has a great performance and even acts like a gentleman afterward, shaking Miller’s hand and bowing to the same fans he cursed a day before. Then you go back and watch the fight again and wonder, hey, didn’t he just try to totally illegally headkick a downed “Mayhem” Miller? What’s up with that? Then he blames a miscalculated weight cut for his weigh-in outburst (somewhat understandable), but also says it was kind of Joe Rogan’s fault (not at all understandable). Bisping is a riddle wrapped up in an enigma and baked inside a Yorkshire pudding. What gets lost in all the public image concerns, however, is that he’s obviously a hell of a fighter, whether his haters want to admit it or not. Even if you don’t think much of his wins, look at his losses. A questionable decision against former light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans, a knockout at the hands of Dan Henderson (that one doesn’t look so bad in light of recent events, does it?), and an at least arguable decision against Wanderlei Silva. You could say he lacks knockout power, and the Miller fight lends credence to that, but you can’t say that he doesn’t have skills.

Most Fun Per Pound: John Dodson
This pint-sized warrior has an infectious enthusiasm for everything, plus he can obviously fight a little bit. The stoppage might have been a tad early, but the fact remains that Dodson is essentially a flyweight who just won the bantamweight TUF tournament, so give the man his respect. His post-fight floor/cage routine makes me wonder if he didn’t miss his calling as a gymnast (or a ninja), but I’m excited to see how far he can go in the UFC. Once the organization finally gets the 125-pound division up and running, that is.

Worst Judging That Probably Didn’t Matter: Yves Edwards vs. Tony Ferguson
I scored it 29-28 for Edwards, but the third round was so close that I wouldn’t even bother to argue if you told me you had it 29-28 for Ferguson. What I cannot accept, however, is a 30-27 score for Ferguson, which is how two of the three judges saw it. That’s the sort of thing that should make every fighter scared of going to a decision — even Ferguson. If the judges can look at a round that saw Ferguson get headkicked from one end of the cage to the other and score it in his favor, they simply can’t be trusted. It didn’t result in an outright robbery this time, but it’s still a disturbing sign that MMA judging has serious problems that no one seems to be even trying to fix.

Nasty As He Wanna Be: Marcus Brimage
After winning a clear-cut decision over Stephen Bass he took to the microphone and said he’d like to thank his sponsors, “when I get some.” Then he did a post-fight sitdown with our own Ariel Helwani that was hilariously inappropriate, necessitating the use of the old-timey test pattern to protect him from himself. Seriously, for those of you wondering what he said, don’t. You’re better off this way. If I could somehow un-know it, I would. Let’s just say that the next time a fighter asks if he can “get graphic” in a conversation about his sexual preferences, Helwani will almost certainly tell him no. The mental images that Brimage painted are the kind that disturb the sleep. That said, he’s just so damn likable. He’s still a little raw in the cage, but he’s got real potential. If he can sharpen his skills and get some experience (without getting himself banned from giving post-fight interviews) he could be a legitimate future prospect.

Most in Need of a New Way to Spend His Saturday Nights: Steve Mazzagatti
I initially thought Dana White went a little too far in calling him the worst ref in the history of fighting (whoever was working those Christians vs. lions bouts in the Coliseum was pretty bad), but now I’m starting to come around to that assessment. It’s not even the magnitude of the mistakes so much as the amazing consistency of them. He let the Johnny Bedford-Louis Gaudinot bout go on long after Gaudinot had quit fighting back, and he had absolutely nothing to say about the various illegal and/or attempted illegal blows in the Bisping-Miller fight. It’s to the point now that, when he’s announced as the ref for a given fight and the crowd boos, that’s how you know you’re dealing with an educated crowd. Mazzagatti needs to up his game or else find something else to do, because one of these days he’s going to get somebody seriously hurt.

Least Charitable Assessment of a Main Event: Dana White
Calling the Bisping-Miller fight “the most one-sided fight” he’s seen in the UFC is just ridiculous. Even if White isn’t much of a Miller fan (and he isn’t), we’ve seen far less competitive matches over the years. Anderson Silva-Chris Leben comes to mind. Sean Gannon-Brandon Lee Hinkle is one the UFC might rather forget entirely, but it’s up there as well. Hell, even the Bedford-Gaudinot fight earlier in the night was more lopsided, only in part because of the tremendous size difference. Yes, Miller got tired early and was never really in the fight after that, but we’ve seen way worse. Trying to bury a guy who could turn out to be a legitimate draw for your company is a move that I can’t quite fathom. Lighten up, Dana. And give “Mayhem” a second chance.

 

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With Satisfying Win, Michael Bisping Hopes He Taught ‘Mayhem’ Miller a Lesson

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Michael Bisping defeated Mayhem Miller at the TUF 14 finale.LAS VEGAS — For all of one round, Saturday night’s TUF 14 Finale main event was a competitive fight. Unfortunately for Jason “Mayhem” Miller, it was scheduled for five.

The MTV star and Ultimate Fighter coach managed to use his grappling skills to stymie Michael Bisping for most of the first frame, but late in the opening round he began to fade, and his decline only got worse as the fight wore on.

Bisping, meanwhile, got sharper and crisper with his striking as Miller got slower and sloppier, and the result was a mostly one-sided beatdown for the next two rounds that came to a merciful halt at 3:34 of round three.

After the event, Bisping brushed off suggestions that he’d only managed to stop Miller because of fatigue, saying “Any time I stop someone it’s because they gas. I guarantee Jason didn’t gas. I guarantee Jason could have gone five rounds.”


As Bisping saw it, his win wasn’t a result of Miller’s fatigue so much as Miller’s fatigue was a result of the punishment Bisping doled out over the course of the three rounds.

“This was a big opportunity for Jason. I guarantee he had the cardio to go five [rounds],” Bisping said. “Guess what? You might have cardio, but when someone’s landing big body shots like I was, kneeing you in the stomach and punching you repeatedly in the face, your cardio gets affected. The best runners in the world, you kick the [expletive] out of them, they won’t run quite as well.”

Whatever the cause, Miller was running on fumes by the end of the second round. Bisping kept the strikes coming, bloodying Miller’s face and following him around the cage, while all Miller could do in response was wing looping punches and dive for takedowns that got easier and easier for Bisping to avoid. Near the end of the second frame, Miller even put his hands at his sides and taunted Bisping as the Brit teed off on his face.

“I had Charles McCarthy do that back at UFC 83. He did the same thing. That’s normally the sign of a man who hasn’t got anything else to do. They’re trying to get a bit of bravado because they can’t fight back, so they’ll just try and look tough while they’re getting their asses kicked.”

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The end came for Miller after a failed takedown attempt in round three left him turtled up and helpless to respond as Bisping hammered his head and body. When it became clear that Miller was incapable of fighting back, referee Steve Mazzagatti stepped in to stop it.

“This was a satisfying victory,” Bisping said afterward. “Jason jumped on the bandwagon of that a) nobody likes me, and b) I’m not a very good fighter, and I don’t deserve…all the rewards I’ve received for being a professional fighter all this time. He was quick to discredit me, that I was given hand-picked opponents and things like that. That doesn’t sit well with me, and I find it very offensive. It was nice to go out there and teach him a lesson.”

It was particularly satisfying to end the fight via TKO since Miller had criticized him for a lack of power, Bisping said, saying he had “pillow hands.”

“For someone who has no punching power, I do believe the statistic is that seven out of eight of my last opponents have all gone to the hospital. While I’m sitting here doing this, he’s probably in the back of an ambulance.”

Miller was, in fact, taken to a hospital to get checked out, according to UFC officials. Bisping, however, showed little damage aside from a lump above his left eye that he said was the result of an accidental headbutt.

And while the UFC’s announcement of a number one contender bout between Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz in January likely means that Bisping won’t rocket up to the top of the division as a result of this one win, that’s fine with him, he said — as long as he gets a fight that help to keep moving in that direction.

“I class myself as one of the best in the world. I think I consistently prove that. I want to fight for the belt. I’ve been around the UFC a long time, and that’s what I want to do. That’s what all fighters want to do. Looks like Chael and Mark Munoz, they’re going to fight for number one contender. Fair enough. In the meantime, I want to fight whoever it is that gets me closer to that belt.”

 

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Michael Bisping defeated Mayhem Miller at the TUF 14 finale.LAS VEGAS — For all of one round, Saturday night’s TUF 14 Finale main event was a competitive fight. Unfortunately for Jason “Mayhem” Miller, it was scheduled for five.

The MTV star and Ultimate Fighter coach managed to use his grappling skills to stymie Michael Bisping for most of the first frame, but late in the opening round he began to fade, and his decline only got worse as the fight wore on.

Bisping, meanwhile, got sharper and crisper with his striking as Miller got slower and sloppier, and the result was a mostly one-sided beatdown for the next two rounds that came to a merciful halt at 3:34 of round three.

After the event, Bisping brushed off suggestions that he’d only managed to stop Miller because of fatigue, saying “Any time I stop someone it’s because they gas. I guarantee Jason didn’t gas. I guarantee Jason could have gone five rounds.”


As Bisping saw it, his win wasn’t a result of Miller’s fatigue so much as Miller’s fatigue was a result of the punishment Bisping doled out over the course of the three rounds.

“This was a big opportunity for Jason. I guarantee he had the cardio to go five [rounds],” Bisping said. “Guess what? You might have cardio, but when someone’s landing big body shots like I was, kneeing you in the stomach and punching you repeatedly in the face, your cardio gets affected. The best runners in the world, you kick the [expletive] out of them, they won’t run quite as well.”

Whatever the cause, Miller was running on fumes by the end of the second round. Bisping kept the strikes coming, bloodying Miller’s face and following him around the cage, while all Miller could do in response was wing looping punches and dive for takedowns that got easier and easier for Bisping to avoid. Near the end of the second frame, Miller even put his hands at his sides and taunted Bisping as the Brit teed off on his face.

“I had Charles McCarthy do that back at UFC 83. He did the same thing. That’s normally the sign of a man who hasn’t got anything else to do. They’re trying to get a bit of bravado because they can’t fight back, so they’ll just try and look tough while they’re getting their asses kicked.”

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The end came for Miller after a failed takedown attempt in round three left him turtled up and helpless to respond as Bisping hammered his head and body. When it became clear that Miller was incapable of fighting back, referee Steve Mazzagatti stepped in to stop it.

“This was a satisfying victory,” Bisping said afterward. “Jason jumped on the bandwagon of that a) nobody likes me, and b) I’m not a very good fighter, and I don’t deserve…all the rewards I’ve received for being a professional fighter all this time. He was quick to discredit me, that I was given hand-picked opponents and things like that. That doesn’t sit well with me, and I find it very offensive. It was nice to go out there and teach him a lesson.”

It was particularly satisfying to end the fight via TKO since Miller had criticized him for a lack of power, Bisping said, saying he had “pillow hands.”

“For someone who has no punching power, I do believe the statistic is that seven out of eight of my last opponents have all gone to the hospital. While I’m sitting here doing this, he’s probably in the back of an ambulance.”

Miller was, in fact, taken to a hospital to get checked out, according to UFC officials. Bisping, however, showed little damage aside from a lump above his left eye that he said was the result of an accidental headbutt.

And while the UFC’s announcement of a number one contender bout between Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz in January likely means that Bisping won’t rocket up to the top of the division as a result of this one win, that’s fine with him, he said — as long as he gets a fight that help to keep moving in that direction.

“I class myself as one of the best in the world. I think I consistently prove that. I want to fight for the belt. I’ve been around the UFC a long time, and that’s what I want to do. That’s what all fighters want to do. Looks like Chael and Mark Munoz, they’re going to fight for number one contender. Fair enough. In the meantime, I want to fight whoever it is that gets me closer to that belt.”

 

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Michael Bisping Beats Down Jason Mayhem Miller in UFC Main Event

Filed under: UFCThe main event of Saturday night’s Ultimate Fighter Finale featured Jason “Mayhem” Miller getting a bully beatdown, as Michael Bisping dominated the second round before finishing the fight with a technical knockout in the third.

Bispin…

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Michael Bisping beats Mayhem Miller at TUF 14 Finale.The main event of Saturday night’s Ultimate Fighter Finale featured Jason “Mayhem” Miller getting a bully beatdown, as Michael Bisping dominated the second round before finishing the fight with a technical knockout in the third.

Bisping and Miller had coached against each other on this season of The Ultimate Fighter and developed a rivalry, but it wasn’t much of a rivalry in the Octagon on Saturday night: Although Miller got off to a fast start, Bisping took it to Miller as the fight wore on and won it handily.

“He’s a tough son of a gun,” Bisping said of Miller afterward. “I’m here to entertain. I think me and Jason put on a fantastic season of The Ultimate Fighter. … I’m proud to be part of The Ultimate Fighter, proud to be part of the UFC.”

Miller came out swinging and hit Bisping hard in the initial exchanges in the first round, and Miller got exactly what he wanted a couple minutes into the round: He took Bisping down and mounted him against the cage, pinning Bisping’s legs together with a triangle. However, Miller wasn’t able to do much with his advantageous position and Bisping eventually got back to his feet. It was a good first round for Miller, although he missed an opportunity to capitalize on the ground.

The second round was another story altogether, as Bisping took complete control in the stand-up, peppering Miller’s face with punches and turning his face into a bruised, bloody mess. Miller tried to act like he wasn’t hurt and even dropped his hands to challenge Bisping to keep bringing it, but it was clear that Bisping was hurting Miller with punches. Late in the round Bisping started to mix in knees, and at the end of the round Bisping knocked Miller down, jumped on top of him and was close to finishing him with elbows when the horn sounded.

And then in the third Bisping really went to work, hitting Miller with even more punches and then following Miller to the ground when Miller attempted a takedown. Bisping hammered away at Miller, beat on him with punches and elbows, and it was finally knees to the body that led referee Steve Mazzagatti to stop the fight.

The win improves Bisping’s record to 22-3. Miller falls to 23-8, and he told the fans afterward that he did all he could against a tough opponent.

“I trained really hard for this fight,” Miller said. “I’m sorry, guys, I got tired. I can’t make any excuses about it. For all the boos Michael Bisping gets, as a fighter he deserves your applause.”

Bisping deserved plenty of applause for what he did on Saturday.

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TUF 14 Finale Live Blog: Michael Bisping vs. Mayhem Miller Updates

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Bisping beats Mayhem Miller at TUF 14 Finale.LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller, a middleweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.

After coaching opposing teams this season on The Ultimate Fighter, Bisping (21-3) and Miller (24-7) will battle in the cage for the final word. On a three-fight win streak, Bisping (21-3) is looking to stay in the running as a title contender in the UFC’s 185-pound division. Miller is returning to the UFC after fighting in numerous promotions the last six years.

The live blog is below.


Round 1: Miller looks to pressure Bisping early, coming straight in and eating a jab before getting tied up in the clinch against the fence. The crowd breaks into a ‘USA!’ chant, and we’re not more than 30 seconds in. They separate and Bisping tags Miller. He’s showing damage over his right eye already, but I can’t tell if it’s a cut. Miller lands a looping overhand right, then gets a takedown moments later. Bisping is trying to wall-walk up the fence, but Miller has his legs trapped. Miller tries to work some short punches, but can’t do much without letting Bisping get space. Bisping gets to his feet and Miller jumps in with a right. Good counter right by Bisping. Miller responds with a left. Ten seconds left. Miller forces Bisping back and drops for a takedown, but that’s the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Miller.

Round 2: Miller goes back to work with those looping punches, but Bisping is tagging him with straight shots. Blood from the nose of Miller now. Miller shoots for a double-leg and then transitions to a single, but Bisping shuts him down. They both step in with punches and Bisping pulls away, touching his eye. Not sure if he thinks he was poked or what, but Miller didn’t seem like he was buying it. After the restart, Bisping’s striking is looking much crisper than Miller’s, and Miller is starting to slow down. Miller misses a takedown and rolls to his back. Bisping pressures him as he tries to stand, then wings a head kick while Miller is on a knee. That would have been totally illegal if it landed, but it went over Miller’s head. Miller looking very tired now, and Bisping is taking advantage, peppering him with everything he can think of. Miller puts his hands down and taunts Bisping, even as Bisping tees off on his face. Miller tries for a takedown and ends up on his back, getting hammered with elbows and just barely surviving the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Bisping.

Round 3: Miller comes out looking for the takedown and Bisping stuffs him again, then adds a kick to the body while he’s down. Miller is running on heart and fumes now, and Bisping is stalking him. Miller is circling away with his back on the fence while Bisping pursues with pinpoint strikes. Bisping stops and complains of another eye poke, but we’re not paused for long. Miller tries for another takedown and ends up turtled up while Bisping slams him with punches and digs knees to his body. Miller rolls to his back and eats more punches. Bisping is pouring it on him and Miller is too tired to do much about it. Referee Steve Mazzagatti has seen enough brutality for one night, and he steps in to stop it. Miller rises and curses to himself. He’s clearly still in possession of his wits, but just totally worn out. Bisping takes a bow in the center of the Octagon, to a mix of cheers and jeers. Hey, at least there were some cheers. Baby steps.

Michael Bisping def. Jason “Mayhem” Miller via TKO (strikes) at 3:34 of round three

After the official announcement, Bisping extends his hand to Miller, who takes it. Beef squashed? Maybe. For now, anyway.

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Bisping beats Mayhem Miller at TUF 14 Finale.LAS VEGAS — This is the TUF 14 live blog for Michael Bisping vs. Jason “Mayhem” Miller, a middleweight bout on tonight’s UFC on Spike TV event at the Pearl at the Palms.

After coaching opposing teams this season on The Ultimate Fighter, Bisping (21-3) and Miller (24-7) will battle in the cage for the final word. On a three-fight win streak, Bisping (21-3) is looking to stay in the running as a title contender in the UFC’s 185-pound division. Miller is returning to the UFC after fighting in numerous promotions the last six years.

The live blog is below.


Round 1: Miller looks to pressure Bisping early, coming straight in and eating a jab before getting tied up in the clinch against the fence. The crowd breaks into a ‘USA!’ chant, and we’re not more than 30 seconds in. They separate and Bisping tags Miller. He’s showing damage over his right eye already, but I can’t tell if it’s a cut. Miller lands a looping overhand right, then gets a takedown moments later. Bisping is trying to wall-walk up the fence, but Miller has his legs trapped. Miller tries to work some short punches, but can’t do much without letting Bisping get space. Bisping gets to his feet and Miller jumps in with a right. Good counter right by Bisping. Miller responds with a left. Ten seconds left. Miller forces Bisping back and drops for a takedown, but that’s the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Miller.

Round 2: Miller goes back to work with those looping punches, but Bisping is tagging him with straight shots. Blood from the nose of Miller now. Miller shoots for a double-leg and then transitions to a single, but Bisping shuts him down. They both step in with punches and Bisping pulls away, touching his eye. Not sure if he thinks he was poked or what, but Miller didn’t seem like he was buying it. After the restart, Bisping’s striking is looking much crisper than Miller’s, and Miller is starting to slow down. Miller misses a takedown and rolls to his back. Bisping pressures him as he tries to stand, then wings a head kick while Miller is on a knee. That would have been totally illegal if it landed, but it went over Miller’s head. Miller looking very tired now, and Bisping is taking advantage, peppering him with everything he can think of. Miller puts his hands down and taunts Bisping, even as Bisping tees off on his face. Miller tries for a takedown and ends up on his back, getting hammered with elbows and just barely surviving the round. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Bisping.

Round 3: Miller comes out looking for the takedown and Bisping stuffs him again, then adds a kick to the body while he’s down. Miller is running on heart and fumes now, and Bisping is stalking him. Miller is circling away with his back on the fence while Bisping pursues with pinpoint strikes. Bisping stops and complains of another eye poke, but we’re not paused for long. Miller tries for another takedown and ends up turtled up while Bisping slams him with punches and digs knees to his body. Miller rolls to his back and eats more punches. Bisping is pouring it on him and Miller is too tired to do much about it. Referee Steve Mazzagatti has seen enough brutality for one night, and he steps in to stop it. Miller rises and curses to himself. He’s clearly still in possession of his wits, but just totally worn out. Bisping takes a bow in the center of the Octagon, to a mix of cheers and jeers. Hey, at least there were some cheers. Baby steps.

Michael Bisping def. Jason “Mayhem” Miller via TKO (strikes) at 3:34 of round three

After the official announcement, Bisping extends his hand to Miller, who takes it. Beef squashed? Maybe. For now, anyway.

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Actor Kevin James to Corner ‘Mayhem’ Miller at TUF 14 Finale

Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsActor Kevin James will escort Jason “Mayhem” Miller to the cage prior to his Saturday night TUF 14 Finale fight against Michael Bisping, as well as corner his friend during the fight, MMA Fighting confirmed…

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Actor Kevin James will escort Jason “Mayhem” Miller to the cage prior to his Saturday night TUF 14 Finale fight against Michael Bisping, as well as corner his friend during the fight, MMA Fighting confirmed with several members of Team Mayhem.

James, who starred in the CBS hit “King of Queens” for nine years, is a long-time MMA fan and will star in the upcoming MMA-themed motion picture, “Here Comes the Boom,” which is expected to be released in October 2012.

Miller and his manager and coach Ryan Parson were integral parts of the production of the film, which, according to IMDB.com, features “a high school biology teacher moonlighting as a mixed martial arts fighter in an effort to raise money to save the school’s music program.”

Below is a clip of James talking about the film on a recent radio appearance.

 

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