Longtime UFC lightweight Jim Miller continued his quest for 50 UFC bouts at UFC 314 this time against Chase Hooper on Saturday night.
Miller (38-18) has accolades and records that could take an entire article on their own. He’s faced the who’s who at 155-pounds including known names such as Donald Cerrone, Clay Guida, Nate Diaz, and Benson Henderson to name a few. Now he makes his way through the younger crop of lightweights as he continues his run.
Hooper (15-3-1) came into the fight on a four-fight win streak including victories over Clay Guida and Viacheslav Borshchev. The 25-year-old was arguably facing his biggest test in Miller in Miami.
ROUND 1: Hooper ducked under a left straight to land a left elbow that connected. He then landed a right hook from and Miller answered with a left hand. It didn’t take too long for these two to start grappling as Hooper shot a single leg. Miller snatched his patented guillotine, but Hooper defended it and ended up on the bottom. He threw a triangle attempt but Miller was wise to it. Miller attempted another guillotine as Hooper shot a takedown, but Hooper popped his head out. ‘The Dream’ transitioned to take Miller’s back as he was standing back up. Miller eventually shook him off, but Hooper immediately threatened with an arm bar as he was sliding down. Hooper was super active off his back, throwing another triangle attempt that Miller successfully defended. Some wild grappling exchanges in the first round, as expected.
ROUND 2: The second round started with the two southpaws mainly exchanging left hands down the middle. A takedown from Hooper along the fence got Miller down and the youngster found his way to the veteran’s back once again. ‘A10’ eventually got out of the position but a trip from Hooper got the fight right back down to the mat. Once again, Miller wrestled his way back up, but the 25-year-old was on point with his mat returns. In the final minute, the two found their way into an unusual leg entanglement that appeared to have the veteran in pain, but his toughness allowed him to survive until the horn. Round 2 was a much more dominant one for Hooper.
ROUND 3: Hooper shot a telegraphed takedown just 20 seconds into the final frame that Miller easily defended. With Miller clearly the more exhausted of the two, Hooper got the fight down on his second shot of the round. Hooper worked his way to the same leg entanglement that they were in at the end of the last round. With Hooper having full control of Miller’s left leg, the commentary team thought that he might have been setting up a twister, but he instead opted for top position. Hooper spent the final minute in complete control, landing some elbows for good measure. A very encouraging performance from the young Hooper as he won the rounds in more dominant fashion as the fight went on.
Coming back-to-back victories over Clay Guida and Jim Miller, Hooper used his octagon interview to call for a bout with a fighter in his age range, naming Fares Ziam and Tom Nolan as potential matchups.
Official Result: Chase Hooper def. Jim Miller by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
