Las Vegas, NV — Paul Felder sounds like he might just be down to fight Jim “F*cking” Miller at UFC 300.
Miller, who submitted Gabriel Benitez at UFC Vegas 84 on Saturday night, called out Felder following his big win. “The Irish Dragon” was working the broadcast booth cageside, and hasn’t fought since 2020, but it appears the possibility of a comeback fight was something the pair had discussed in advance.
“Anybody that knows me or talks to me,” Felder told media outlets including Cageside Press backstage, “knew that Jim was the name that was gonna be like ‘if I’m going to do it, I want it to be against a guy like Jim.’ Somebody that’s around my age, that’s been in the game a long time. I’m not trying to come back and make a run for the belt or anything like that.”
Felder was getting back into racing in Triathlons and questioning whether he really wanted to go back to fighting, but wound up talking to Miller during recent fighter meetings. “Obviously the people around me are kind of egging it on and pushing me, and I was like ‘if you call me out, Jim, it’s something I’d be interesting in doing.'” Miller replied by suggesting if Felder hooked him up with a broadcasting gig, “‘we’ll make it a deal.’ I think they’ll be calling him for at least an audition coming up.”
Felder admits that he has to get back in the gym and see how he feels. There’s also the UFC’s desires to take into consideration. “It’s also up to the UFC too. I obviously haven’t pressed the issue. Sean [Shelby, UFC matchmaker] knew that, he knew he wanted to test me out and see if I was just being flakey, and I’ve done it in the past where I’m like ‘I’m coming back, I’m going to make a run for it, I’m going to do all this’ and then I just don’t. So I’ve got to see if they’re even interested in that fight happening. But to do it on a legendary card like that would be incredible.”
The allure might just be worth it for Felder, who has been working on acting projects in addition to broadcasting.
“It’s definitely a possibility. I’ve got to go home, and I’ll probably have a fun night tonight, and then get back into seeing how the body feels training. I’m in phenomenal shape, I’m in the best shape of my adult life the last few years, I just haven’t been fighting.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 84 post-fight press conference appearance by Paul Felder above.
