LAS VEGAS – Jim Miller still has a lot of fight left in him and revealed an ambitious target – to compete in three centennial UFC events.
Miller (31-14 MMA, 20-13 UFC) faces Roosevelt Roberts this Saturday at UFC on ESPN 11, where he will equal Donald Cerrone’s record for the most appearances in company history at 35.
The lightweight veteran – who also holds the record for most wins, most submission wins and the most total fight time in divisional history – says he’s still looking to break records as he targets a landmark number of bouts as a UFC athlete.
“It’ll be 40 (fights),” Miller told reporters Thursday in a virtual media day session. “I’m pretty confident with the way that I’m feeling that I’ll get to 40. Fifty? I don’t know. We’ll see where it goes.”
Miller’s ambitions don’t necessarily end at 40, or even 50, fights, however, as he revealed a tentative thought that he might still be active in the octagon by the time UFC 300 rolls around. Then, he said, he could make history with a remarkable achievement as the only fighter to compete on UFC 100, 200 and 300.
“I’m playing it fight by fight and I look ahead and I see UFC 300 in like four years and I’m like I don’t know if I can make it that far, but it would be pretty cool to fight on 100, 200 and 300.
“I’m not hung up on that idea, I’m not focused on that idea but where I’m at, another five fights after this, if I get to fight at the pace that I want to, that’s less than two years so I can easily handle that.”
On Saturday night Miller takes on one of the lightweight division’s newest prospects in Roberts. Ever respectful of his opponents, Miller admitted he understands Roberts’ mindset ahead of the matchup, and said he certainly won’t be taking him lightly.
“I imagine myself in his position and I’d be super fired up, on cloud nine coming into a fight like that, so I’m expecting a dangerous guy that’s got nothing to lose,” Miller said. “He’s got a little momentum behind him and he’s fighting a guy who’s been around for a while so he’s gonna be a dangerous man inside the octagon.”
UFC on ESPN 11's Jim Miller confident he'll get to 40 UFC fights; tentatively targets UFC 300