Dan Miller – Ready UFC 158 and Jordan Mein
By Dave Carpinello
One of the two much heralded Miller brothers returns to the Octagon next weekend as AMA Fight Club’s Dan Miller returns to face Strikeforce import Jordan Mein. Dan talks with PunchDrunkGamer about his training leading up to fight, being a welterweight, Canadian fans and more!
PDG: It has been eight months since your last fight in the Octagon; what have you been doing during your time off?
Dan Miller: I have been spending time with my family and training – I’ve been staying in shape and working on improving in all aspects of my game whether it is stand up or on the ground. When the call came to fight on March 16th, I was ready.
PDG: Your UFC career so far has been all about streaks, win 3, lose 3, win 2, lose 2 and then your most recent victory over Ricardo Funch; what changes have you made to your training and preparation to ensure you continue this winning streak?
Dan Miller: I have been continuing to train hard and focusing more on one-on-one sessions with my coaches. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I have made too many changes, rather just working on all the little things and focusing on getting better in all areas of my game to build on that win.
PDG: Your next fight is coming up at UFC 158; what do you think of your opponent Jordan Mein?
Dan Miller: Jordan is a tough, well rounded young opponent coming over from Strikeforce, and I know that he will be out there trying to make a name for himself. I respect his skill set though as he has good striking as well as technical submissions, but I’ll be ready.
PDG: What advantages do you see for yourself going into this fight?
Dan Miller: My experience inside the UFC Octagon and the overall level of competition that I have faced. I have been fighting the toughest guys in the world as well as training with some of the best fighters at AMA. I also feel that with my second cut to 170, I’ll be stronger and more explosive than I was before. I’m going to be much tougher to handle.
PDG: You have fought in Canada before (UFC 124 – defeated Joe Doerksen); what did you think of the Canadian fans and their hospitality?
Dan Miller: They are great fans and very knowledgeable. They love to see a good fight and the atmosphere is electric. I plan on putting on another solid performance for them.
PDG: On paper, UFC 158 is a stacked card; what other fights that night are you looking forward to seeing?
Dan Miller: I’m looking forward to seeing all of the fights that are in the 170lb division. This card has some great fights with Carlos Condit versus Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger facing Nate Marquardt and the much anticipated Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz fight. But I’ll be solely focused on my fight with Mein. That is the most important fight on the card to me right now.
PDG: Now that the Strikeforce fighters, like your opponent, have been integrated into the UFC, what are your thoughts on the new fighters in your new division (welterweight) and what do you think about the added pressure now of win or maybe get cut by the UFC?
Dan Miller: I am up for a bunch of new challenges. Every fighter wants to be the top guy in his division. Everyone that came over from Strikeforce is looking to build themselves up with wins, but I do not concentrate on anything but my fight ahead of me. I can only control what happens in my upcoming fight. I’m always going out there to put on the best performance possible and get my hand raised. The other stuff like getting cut, I can’t worry about that.
PDG: Can you give your fans a breakdown of your current training camp leading up to UFC 158?
Dan Miller: I train five to six days a week with a typical day including strength and conditioning in the morning followed by some type of striking whether it’s boxing or Muay Thai and then followed up by a grappling session consisting of either wrestling or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
PDG: Thanks for the time Dan and good luck at UFC 158, is there anything else you would like to add?
Dan Miller: No problem, I just say thanks to my family, friends, training partners and of course to all of my fans out there. Come March 16th, I will be READY!!
Post your comments directly below! You can also discuss the latest MMA and Video Game News in the PunchDrunkGamer Forums and don’t forget to Follow PDG on Twitter @PunchDrunkGamer and Like the PDG Official Facebook Page!
