UFC 155: December 29, 2012 Las Vegas, Nevada UFC Lightweight Contender Jim Miller (-225) Profile: Scrappy lightweight contender and brother of UFC vet Dan Miller, Jim Miller (21-4) has come within a win of a title shot in the lightweight division on multiple occasions. He’s the perpetual contender and one-time owner of a seven-fight winning streak in the Octagon, Miller was widely thought to be the next big thing. Eventual lightweight champ Benson Henderson would break his winning streak in August of 2011, then Miller would bounce back with an impressive submission of Melvin Guillard. Then, in a title eliminator fight, Miller would be overwhelmed by the lengthy stand-up of Nate Diaz, leading him to be submitted in the second round. Miller now looks to rebound once again and create a foothold in the upper echelon of the UFC with a decisive win over Joe Lauzon. UFC Lightweight Contender Joe Lauzon (+175) Profile: A six-year veteran of the UFC, “J-Lau” Joe Lauzon (22-7) has delivered memorable performances, from his knockout over former UFC champ Jens Pulver in his debut to his deep run on The Ultimate Fighter, while also winning nine fight bonuses (five Submission of the Night and four Fight of the Night). The 28-year-old Massachusetts native comes to finish, and it usually comes from his slick grappling skills. In his 21 wins, he has 17 submission victories and four knockouts, which is extremely impressive considering his relatively high level of competition. At UFC 136, Lauzon had one of the biggest wins of his career over Melvin Guillard, but it all came crashing down as Anthony Pettis knocked him out with a vicious head kick at UFC 144. Lauzon bounced back with a submission of former WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner and hopes another win will move him closer to a title shot. Opening UFC 155 Odds Analysis: MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas made Miller a solid -225 favorite (bet $225 to win $100) while Lauzon opened as a +175 underdog (bet $100 to win $175) according to the MMA odds. Miller was on the brink of a title shot before he lost to Diaz, and he now needs to work his way back into contention. He should consider himself fortunate to get this opportunity considering it was Gray Maynard who was originally scheduled to square off against Lauzon before a knee injury forced him out. Lauzon is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC and has earned a post-fight bonus in seven of his last eight bouts. He wants to be taken seriously though as one of the top lightweight contenders in the world and also has the perfect chance to show he is deserving of the chance to fight for Henderson’s belt sometime in the near future. In a stacked division where none of the top contenders can afford a loss, the pressure is on both Miller and Lauzon to get a victory here.
