Jim Miller vs. Matt Wiman
Last minute replacement Jim Miller will make his second attempt “Fight For the Troops”, filling in for the injured Frankie Edgar to take on former Ultimate Fighter 5 cast member Matt Wiman. Miller, a title holder in both Cage Fury Fighting and Reality Fighting, will have his hands full with the versatile Wiman.
Jim Miller, a relative unknown to casual UFC fans, is nonetheless a game competitor with a potent submission attack. Having spent most of his time on smaller independent shows, Miller has nonetheless faced some quality opposition, including the man he will be replacing, Frankie Edgar. While he came up short, losing by unanimous decision, Miller gave Edgar all he could handle in their fight, very nearly finishing him with a tight guillotine choke late in the final round.
Miller’s best weapon is assuredly his ground game, which has earned him a majority of his victories, inluding an impressive armbar against tough competitor Mushin Corrbrey. His gameplan in his Octagon debut will no doubt be to take Wiman down and work his jiu jitsu game, trying to secure a submission.
His opponent, Matt Wiman, is no slouch on the ground, either, as he proved in the first round of his recent upset victory over Thiago Tavares. After holding his own during the grappling exchanges in the opening frame, Wiman folded Tavares up with a powerful hook that sent him crashing to the canvas and ended the fight.
Wiman’s best chance for securing a victory is his well-roundedness. Both men are accomplished ground fighters, but Wiman has superior technique and power in the standup game, which should keep Miller wary of trying to close the distance recklessly.
In the end, Wiman should welcome his opponent to his first UFC loss, courtesy of a second round knockout.
