UFC
UFC NEWS: Jim Miller believes he's a top three lightweight, Dana White says he doesn't have the "it" factor
Dec 13, 2010 - 3:45:36 PM UFC NEWS: Jim Miller believes he's a top three lightweight, Dana White says he doesn't have the "it" factor

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Jim Miller is one of the most overlooked lightweights in the UFC, and after a highly impressive submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 124 on Saturday night, Miller is looking to gain some respect.

"Coming into the fight, I was trying to gain a little respect, to be honest," Miller said in an interview with MMAJunkie.com after the fight. "We went into the fight with him being the favorite, which I really didn't understand. Before tonight, I was 7-1 in the UFC, and my only losses were to guys who are (No.) 1 and 2 in the division."

Miller's only career losses came to the two fighters that will meet for the UFC Lightweight Championship on January 1 at UFC 125, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. Both losses came by decision, yet Miller remains under the radar for most fans and the UFC.

"I'm not going to lie. It does eat at me a little bit," he said. "I've done nothing to show I shouldn't be No. 3 behind No. 1 and No. 2 (at 155 pounds). I've beaten all-comers. I'm here, and I'm fighting, and I want my shot at revenge."

UFC President Dana White was as surprised as anyone to see Miller pull of the kneebar submission on the previously unbeaten Oliveira on Saturday, but it left him impressed with Miller's performance.

"Let me tell you what I like about Jim Miller," White said after the event. "Jim Miller was in a position tonight where he's on this win streak, he's going in against this hyped-up kid Oliveira... this kid's a stud. He took a huge chance. I couldn't have been the only guy, when he jumped on that leg, [that] said, 'That was stupid.' He was going for that toe-lock that you catch Tank Abbott in, you know what I mean? I was thinking, 'Why would he go for that move against a guy like this when he has that top position?'

"And then he pulls off that kneebar, man. [That] shocked the s*** out of Oliveira. He didn't see that coming and neither did I. I love that. I love it [that] a kid that goes in there, takes a chance and goes after it the way that Miller did."

After the fight White said that he believes Miller is simply one of the guys without the "it" factor required to explode into the minds of fans. With that, Miller joins a line of other fighters that just have to work harder to get themselves noticed.

"Miller is one of these guys that... this kid gets so much f***ing disrespect I can't remember his name. Fitch! He's like [Jon] Fitch, you know what I mean? Fitch wins all these fights but Fitch is just one of these guys that just never clicks. That's how Miller is right now. Some guys have that 'it' factor that people just are attracted to first, and some people have to earn it.

"Chuck Liddell was that guy. Chuck Liddell was never some big, huge superstar that came out. Everybody was talking about Tito [Ortiz]. Chuck was knocking people out left and right and winning, and it took Chuck a long time. Sometimes it takes guys longer than others. But Miller is a kid that goes in and just went after it tonight. And I respect that."

Miller said in the cage after the fight that he wanted his shot, but when that shot comes will be determined at a later date, with a number of fighters still ahead of him in the heavily populated lightweight division.

Link to MMAJunkie.com report

Penick's Analysis: Miller is a criminally under-appreciated lightweight, and all he does is continue to win fights. It's tough in some respects because he hasn't beaten any top ten fighters at this point, but he hasn't gotten his chance to face too many top flight contenders in the division as of yet. Bouts with Kenny Florian, George Sotiropoulos, Sean Sherk or Evan Dunham would all make sense for his next matchup, and perhaps he'll get that breakthrough performance against one of them.