Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Jim Miller Scores 20th Finish, Returns After Son’s Cancer Fight

5/10/2026

37 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Miller Submits

Jim Miller beat Jared Gordon by rear-naked choke at 3:29 of round one at UFC 328 in Newark, moving his UFC record to 28-47.
The victory gave Miller his 20th career finish, the second-most in UFC history.
He returned after a 13-month hiatus while his son Wyatt underwent treatment for rhadbomyosarcoma, now cancer-free but scheduled for scans every three months for a year.

Summary

Miller Targets 50

The fight was the first New Jersey-versus-New York lightweight matchup on a numbered UFC card since UFC 217 in November 2017.
An accidental low blow paused the action for several minutes.
Miller, now 42, aims to reach 50 UFC fights before retiring, becoming the only fighter to appear on UFC 100, UFC 200 and UFC 300 cards.
Miller said he covered his son’s medical expenses and family health insurance himself as an independent contractor.

Summary

Miller Needs Fight

Jim Miller said a 13-month layoff caused by his son’s cancer treatment and his surgery left him without a steady paycheck.
He noted that covering his son’s surgery, chemotherapy and proton radiation strained the budget, making the UFC 328 fight essential for finances.
He said the lack of employer benefits forced him to fund care and rehab, increasing his need to stay active while aiming for 50 UFC fights.

Summary

Strickland Threatens

Sean Strickland issued violent threats toward Khamzat Chimaev in the week before UFC 328.
UFC officials added police and private security at the hotel after the threats.
Security stayed on site for the entire fight week.
The heightened security framed Jim Miller’s return bout against Jared Gordon on the preliminary card in Newark.

History

Historical Context

In December 2014 a class-action antitrust suit filed by fighters such as Cung Le and Nate Diaz accused the UFC of treating athletes as independent contractors, depriving them of health insurance and retirement benefits. The UFC historically pays only 16-22 % of its revenue to fighters, far below other leagues. Jim Miller’s 13-month hiatus for his son’s cancer underscores the financial strain driving the lawsuit.

1 of 5

Miller Submits

Jim Miller beat Jared Gordon by rear-naked choke at 3:29 of round one at UFC 328 in Newark, moving his UFC record to 28-47.
The victory gave Miller his 20th career finish, the second-most in UFC history.
He returned after a 13-month hiatus while his son Wyatt underwent treatment for rhadbomyosarcoma, now cancer-free but scheduled for scans every three months for a year.

1 / 5