Tag: Jim Miller

MMA Top 10 Lightweights: Gilbert Melendez Makes His Case

Filed under: UFC, WEC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Rankings, LightweightsGilbert Melendez thinks he’s the best lightweight in mixed martial arts. Is he right? I don’t think so, not yet. But I sure would love to find out.

The best thing about the UFC buying…

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Gilbert Melendez thinks he’s the best lightweight in mixed martial arts. Is he right? I don’t think so, not yet. But I sure would love to find out.

The best thing about the UFC buying Strikeforce is that it means we’ll eventually see the champions of the respective promotions fighting each other. For now the mantra is “business as usual,” but we all know it’s just a matter of time before we see the best of Strikeforce inside the Octagon. And there might not be a better fight out there than Melendez taking on the top of the UFC lightweight division.

It will probably be 2012 before we get to see that: UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar has to fight Gray Maynard in May, and the winner of that fight is expected to fight the winner of the June Anthony Pettis-Clay Guida bout after that. But it sure would be fun to see Melendez retiring the Strikeforce belt to his trophy case and fighting for the UFC gold.

Find out where I think Melendez stacks up in the lightweight division below.

Falling Action: Best and Worst of UFC 128

Filed under: UFCIt would be overdramatic and not completely accurate to claim that a star was born in the main event of UFC 128. Jon Jones was already a star, which is why the UFC did a pre-fight special on him after giving the champion, Mauricio ‘Shog…

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It would be overdramatic and not completely accurate to claim that a star was born in the main event of UFC 128. Jon Jones was already a star, which is why the UFC did a pre-fight special on him after giving the champion, Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, no such fully-focused push.

But while Jones showed up at the Prudential Center in Newark already a celebrity, it was his domination of Rua that made him an instant colossus in this sport. With that will come a lot of fame, money, and attention — all things that can derail any 23-year-old if he’s not ready for them. Whether this will be one more rule that simply doesn’t apply to Jones as it does to mere mortals, time will tell. For now, he gets to relax and enjoy being champ. He just shouldn’t enjoy it too much, since this title has had a way of slipping through the fingers of his predecessors.

Now on the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between after UFC 128.

UFC 128 Jones vs Rua

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Maurício Rua (c) vs Jon Jones I’ve got Jon Jones winning this one. Rua might be the more powerful fighter here, but Jones is more dangerous in more places. Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland Faber. Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus Miller should be able to keep this […]

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Maurício Rua (c) vs Jon Jones

I’ve got Jon Jones winning this one. Rua might be the more powerful fighter here, but Jones is more dangerous in more places.

Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland

Faber.

Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs Kamal Shalorus

Miller should be able to keep this on the feet and out box Shalorus. This fight should be awesome as Shalorus is world class wrestler which will completely nullify Miller’s takedowns. Miller those is far superior in the boxing department where Shalorus wings bombs over and over. You know what I’m changing my pick. Shalorus via decision.

Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs Dan Miller

Nate Marquardt. Better everywhere.

Heavyweight bout: Mirko Filipovic vs Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub. Younger fighters seem to be giving Mirko problems.

Preliminary card (Spike TV Card)

Light Heavyweight bout: Luiz Cane vs Eliot Marshall

Luiz Cane easily. Well he won’t necessarily win easily, but I think its a easy pick.

Lightweight bout: Edson Barboza vs Anthony Njokuani

No pick, but like seeing Njokuani fight.

Preliminary card (Facebook)

Welterweight bout: Ricardo Almeida vs Mike Pyle

Ricardo Almeida doesn’t want to get choked out again. I don’t think Pyle is going to get that shot. I like Almeida here.

Lightweight bout: Kurt Pellegrino vs Gleison Tibau

If Gleison fights at his best he will be too strong and big for Pellegrino who has had problems against bigger fighters.

Preliminary card

Bantamweight bout: Joseph Benavidez vs Ian Loveland

Benavidez

Featherweight bout: Erik Koch vs Raphael Assunção

Assunção

Catchweight (195 lb) bout: Nick Catone vs Costantinos Phillipou

No pick

Jim Miller: Fighting Alongside Older Brother Will Be a ‘Throwback’

Filed under: UFCUFC lightweight Jim Miller and his middleweight brother Dan have competed on the same cards before, but they’ll be doing so back-to-back on pay-per-view this Saturday at UFC 128.

“I’ve heard a lot of people [say], ‘Oh, what do you thin…

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UFC lightweight Jim Miller and his middleweight brother Dan have competed on the same cards before, but they’ll be doing so back-to-back on pay-per-view this Saturday at UFC 128.

“I’ve heard a lot of people [say], ‘Oh, what do you think of Dan’s fight? It’s great for Dan,’ but nobody said, ‘Hey Jim, it kind of sucks you have to sit and watch your brother fight right before you go out,'” Jim Miller said, laughing, on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

The MMA Hour With Jim Miller, Mike Constantino, Jay Hieron in Studio

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, VideosThe MMA Hour returns on Monday with three guests in studio.

* UFC lightweight Jim Miller and his coach/manager Mike Constantino of AMA Fight Club will stop by to preview Miller’s UFC 128 fight agai…

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The MMA Hour returns on Monday with three guests in studio.

* UFC lightweight Jim Miller and his coach/manager Mike Constantino of AMA Fight Club will stop by to preview Miller’s UFC 128 fight against Kamal Shalorus.

* Bellator welterweight Jay Hieron will discuss his first round win and moving from Strikeforce to Bellator.

* Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem will discuss the Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce and much more.

* Matt Mitrione will return to deliver his increasingly popular “Mitrione Minute.”

We will also be airing a live portion of today’s Zuffa/Strikeforce conference and will be talking at length about Zuffa’s historic acquisition of Strikeforce.

And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.

Watch the show live below beginning at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.

MMA Top 10 Lightweights: 2011 Starts With a Bang

Filed under: DREAM, UFC, Strikeforce, Rankings, LightweightsThe UFC might not have a better main event all year than it had in its first main event of the year, as Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard fought for 25 furious minutes and showed why they’re the …

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The UFC might not have a better main event all year than it had in its first main event of the year, as Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard fought for 25 furious minutes and showed why they’re the two best lightweights in the world.

Is it disappointing that Edgar-Maynard ended up a draw? In a sense, it’s always disappointing, in any competition, not to see a definitive winner. But this time the draw was the right decision (I scored it 47-47) Fortunately, the UFC made the right decision and said after the fight that Edgar and Maynard will get it on one more time to determine who’s No. 1.

At the moment, Edgar and Maynard are 1-2 on my list and just about everyone else’s. Take a look at how the rest of the lightweight rankings stack up below.