Jim Miller, huh? The dude doesn’t ask for much. And when I say much, I mean like, almost nothing. But now, with the end of his UFC journey kinda lurking around the corner, he’s got a couple things on his to-do list. He’s got this plan, you see — hit the big five-oh in fights, and then call it quits. Yup, fight number 46 is coming up at UFC 314 against Chase Hooper, and then, a few more to go. But there are still some things he’s itching to tick off his bucket list before saying sayonara.
So Jim’s bit of a record holder, isn’t he? Most fights and most wins in UFC history – not too shabby. Even now, he’s not about to start ducking fights just because his career’s on the exit ramp. Nah, he’ll probably take whatever fight the UFC hands him. But man, if he got to choose, there’s a particular name that gets his adrenaline pumping — Justin Gaethje. Like, how epic would that be? Jim described it as straight-up a “trainwreck of a fight.” Can already see the chaos now.
Here’s the reality — Gaethje’s top-notch in the lightweight division, so matching him against Jim might sound a bit off in the title-contending scheme. But stranger things have happened in the octagon. Who knows, right? Gaethje’s as much a “yes” man as Jim is when the UFC calls, so maybe the stars will align.
Now, let me go off for a sec — Jim often talks about the highs of fighting Gaethje, saying it’d be like, a legendary endgame if his final brawl could be against this guy he clearly admires. But dang, it’d need some hustling from his side to get to that point. And let’s be honest, he’s paid to fight, not play matchmaker.
Switching gears, there’s one more thing Jim really wants before he hangs up his gloves: one last fight at home. Yeah, New Jersey born and bred — he’s done his rounds in the Garden State, but he’s got a yearning to duke it out one more time before hanging the gloves up. Kind of like a farewell tour for the home crowd. Funny timing or not, UFC 316 is slated for New Jersey in June. Jim throws fists in Miami first, so who knows if the stars will align for a quick turnaround.
Jim’s all about getting another bout in the Prudential Center. That’s like his Mecca. Madison Square Garden’s cool and all, but home is home, y’know? He’s not into sitting six to eight months out waiting for fights, though. Time’s a beast — the more it ticks, the more it gnaws at you. So it’s like, keep the momentum or get trampled by Father Time.
In the grand tally, he’s got five fights left. Feels like there’s sand in the hourglass still. But he’s been tangoing with the UFC since 2008, so he’s pondering closure. Imagine making it to 50 bouts — that’s not just preserving his legacy in the history books; it’s like setting a marker on the moon. Dunno if anyone’s gonna beat that record, honestly.
Jim muses about retiring at UFC 200. He almost pulled the plug back then. Trained like crap for UFC 196 and thought, “Man, maybe I’m done.” But he’s a thinker, not a feeler when it comes to decisions. Crunches data. Charts out scenarios. Analyzes everything, right down to the wire. He ain’t the type to drop decisions based purely on emotion.
When he hits fight No. 50, that’s it, lights out. If things shift before then, you’ll hear it from the horse’s mouth long before he steps back into the octagon. Sharing that last ride with everyone around him — kind of therapeutic.
Talking honest here, when he’s ready to pull the career plug, Jim’s gonna make noise about it. It’s about clearing your mind, stepping away from the grind. Like when he’s in the cage, his world halts right at the fence. The vision doesn’t stray past that meshed boundary until it’s over and bam! There it is. The whole shebang, fans embracing the moment. That, my friends, is what charges him up. The idea of sharing that exit moment — gets him pumped up just thinking about it.
