Jim Miller, a UFC veteran, has minimal requests for the organization as he nears the end of his storied career, but he does have a couple of aspirations he`d like to realize.
Planning to retire after his 50th UFC fight, with his 46th scheduled against Chase Hooper at UFC 314, Miller, who already holds records for the most fights and wins in UFC history, still aims to achieve a few more milestones. Known for never declining a fight, Miller is likely to accept whoever the UFC proposes for his final opponent. However, there is one particular name he would be thrilled to see across the octagon.
“Regarding opponents, there are so many formidable fighters,” Miller told MMA Fighting. “Many guys I admire and would like to face. I know facing Justin Gaethje would be a significant challenge, given our division and his higher ranking, but the idea of fighting him excites me. I think it would be an incredibly exciting and chaotic fight.”
Miller acknowledges that a fight with him might not strategically benefit Gaethje, who is aiming for a title shot. However, Gaethje shares Miller`s willingness to accept any fight offered by the UFC, making the matchup a possibility.
Miller clearly holds Gaethje in high esteem and believes that a fight against him for his 50th and final appearance would be a memorable conclusion to his career.
“Making that fight happen would require effort on my part,” Miller stated. “My responsibility is to be prepared and ready. I`m not involved in matchmaking decisions.”
Miller`s other wish is to have one final fight close to home before retiring.
The New Jersey native has fought in his home state before and desires one more appearance in the Garden State before he retires for good.
Interestingly, the UFC is scheduled to return to New Jersey for UFC 316 in June, but Miller is already set to compete in Miami this Saturday. While a quick turnaround for the New Jersey event after UFC 314 is possible if he defeats Hooper, Miller hopes the promotion will grant him another fight at home before he concludes his career.
“Fighting at the Prudential Center again is a big wish,” Miller said. “Madison Square Garden is great, New York is great, despite commission issues, but fighting in Newark is truly home turf. I`d love one more fight there, hoping the timing works out.”
“I don’t want to wait too long and be inactive for six or eight months for a specific event. Time is valuable, and Father Time is the ultimate opponent. As I age, everything becomes more challenging. I prefer to maintain a pace of fighting every four to five months, if injuries allow.”
With five fights remaining before his planned retirement, Miller is approaching the final chapter of his career, which began in the UFC in 2008.
Miller believes reaching 50 UFC fights will solidify his record for the most fights in the promotion and set a benchmark that will be difficult to surpass.
“Fifty is a significant number,” Miller said. “It`s a milestone I believe no one else will reach. I`ve considered retirement before. I almost retired at UFC 200 when preparing for UFC 196, feeling physically drained. I decided to push through to assess my situation objectively.”
“I make decisions analytically, not emotionally. I`m calculating. Despite sometimes appearing impulsive, I base my decisions on facts and available data. I won`t make an emotional retirement decision.”
Miller assures that his 50th fight will genuinely be his last, and any changes to this plan will be publicly announced before his final octagon appearance.
Above all, Miller wants his final fight to be known in advance, sharing the experience with everyone.
“When that time comes, hopefully at 50 fights, and if not, it will still be public,” Miller said. “I`ll be transparent about it because honesty is important. The idea of walking into that last fight feels like a release, lifting a weight off my shoulders.”
“I love fighting. There’s no better feeling than getting a finish and looking up. I become completely focused inside the octagon. When I get back on my feet after a win, seeing the crowd is an incredible feeling. I want everyone to know it`s my last fight and that thought excites me.”
Marcus Blakely 
Wesley Dunham