UFC
UFC on Versus 5's Jim Miller only focusing on Ben Henderson in fluid lightweight division
Aug 12, 2011 - 5:00:39 PM UFC on Versus 5's Jim Miller only focusing on Ben Henderson in fluid lightweight division

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Jim Miller's fight with Ben Henderson this Sunday at UFC on Versus 5 marks his eleventh fight in the Octagon, a stretch of his career dating back to UFC 89 in October of 2008. The 27-year-old sport's one of the best records in the sport at 20-2, with his only two losses coming at the hands of the two men fighting for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 136, Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar.

The Maynard loss is the only one he's suffered in the UFC, having won the other nine. Into Sunday's card, he's won seven straight, including a submission win over Charles Oliveira and a TKO victory over the previously unbeaten Kamal Shalorus in his last two.

Long considered one of the premier talents in the division, a win over Henderson on Sunday will very likely put Miller in line for a perhaps overdue title shot. However, Miller isn't looking ahead, and sees the Henderson fight as one of the most important of his career anyway.

"In my opinion you've got to look at every fight as the most important fight of your career," Miller said in a recent media conference call. "I have 20 wins but if I had lost one of those wins I wouldn't be in the situation I am right now. So my main focus is just on the 14th and Ben and... it's a tough fight and that's where my eyes are locked. I'm just preparing for that fight and nothing else."

Miller has reason not to look to far ahead, as he knows how crowded the landscape is at the top of the lightweight division, and a win on Sunday won't necessarily guarantee him anything.

"I haven't been told that exclusively [that I'll get a title shot with a win]," he said. "And you know, I've been in the business [a long time] and you never know what is going to happen. If [Clay] Guida had finished Anthony [Pettis] he might have been getting the shot. Depending on how our fight goes, if I win, how the win goes. It all depends if they bring up [Gilbert] Melendez over from Strikeforce, you know. So much could happen.

"It's such a fluid division and there are quite a few guys that have set themselves up. So you know, I try not to just focus on any of that and just focus on the fact the fight at hand... There has just been so much stuff going on at the top of the light weight division with Frankie having to fight B.J. [Penn] again and not beating him and the draw and then both of them getting hurt. So there is just so much going on that to get frustrated by it would just be silly and just lead to more stress. So I just relax and take the fights as they come and just try to fight the best and beat him."

Penick's Analysis: Even though it's not a guarantee for him, a win over Henderson has got to mean a title shot for Miller. He's done nothing but win fights, and he's defeated just about everyone the UFC has put in front of him except for the undefeated title challenger. He's one of the very best fighters in the division, and a win over Henderson should give him his opportunity to avenge one of the only two losses on his record. It's not going to be an easy fight, but it should be an excellent one, and I can't wait to see it on Sunday.