After contracting Lyme disease and suffering severe health issues, UFC fighter Jim Miller made a comeback and now holds the record for the most fights and wins in UFC history.
Jim Miller was on the brink of retirement. He was grappling with severe pain, brain fog, and extreme exhaustion. The New Jersey native thought his fighting career had finally taken its toll on him.
Every fighter knows the risks involved when your job includes getting punched in the head. Yet, it wasn’t until years later that Miller discovered the real culprit: Lyme disease. This condition, transmitted by infected ticks, can cause a multitude of health problems.
After receiving treatment, Miller embarked on a long road to recovery. This journey gave him a second chance at life and his fighting career. Now, years after his diagnosis, the 40-year-old fighter is not only feeling better than ever, but he’s also making up for lost time.
“My road is like nobody else’s,” Miller shared with MMA Fighting before his UFC Vegas 84 bout against Gabriel Benitez. He was a top 10 ranked fighter when a tick carrying Lyme disease bit him. This incident turned his world upside down, more than he’s ever publicly acknowledged.
Miller has previously discussed the challenges he faced while battling Lyme disease. However, he recently revealed another post-treatment issue that haunted him in terrifying and unexpected ways. Apart from the physical ailments, Miller has huge memory gaps due to a Lyme disease side effect that mimics dementia-related symptoms.
“There’s a brain plaque associated with Lyme disease that looks exactly like Alzheimer’s,” Miller explained. His memory from 2015 to early 2017 is mostly blank. Yet, he can recall events from 2010, 2008, and 2006. There’s just a dark cloud over a period when things were extremely tough, and he wasn’t himself.
Five years after the initial tick bite, Miller started his treatment. Not only did he start feeling like himself again, but he also managed to turn his career around. Despite some wins and losses, Miller was back performing at a high level, something Lyme disease had stolen from him.
In the five years since regaining his health, Miller has an 8-5 overall record. He’s also made history as the fighter with the most fights and wins in UFC history. He plans to add to that record when he fights Benitez this Saturday in Las Vegas. Retirement? Not on his radar.
Miller acknowledges that he’s competing at an unusual age for the UFC, especially in the lightweight division. Despite a few bumps and bruises, he’s feeling spry. He credits part of his resilience to the lessons he learned from his battle with Lyme disease.
“I learned how to protect myself and pick the days,” Miller explained. Some days he’s all in, and other days he’s more cautious, focusing on learning new things and avoiding injuries. He’s aware that he’s an “old lightweight” and wasn’t planning on fighting into his 40s.
“When I started fighting, there were no 40-year-old lightweights,” he said. Now, he attributes his longevity to a mix of luck, genetics, and smart training decisions.
Miller doesn’t spend his time marveling at his career achievements. He appreciates the praise, but he probably won’t reflect much until he retires. He knows he’s a rarity in a sport where fighters often come and go in a flash.
Out of thousands of MMA fighters, only a select few make it to the UFC. Even fewer stick around for more than a couple of years. Miller, however, has spent over 15 years in the UFC, with 42 fights and 25 wins to his name. That’s something.
“The longevity thing is cool,” Miller admitted. He aspired for more when he started, but he’s 4-1 in his last five fights with four finishes. He must be doing something right.
Longevity in this sport is uncommon. Miller attributes his to a combination of luck, genetics, and some design. When all is said and done, he could make a strong case as a UFC Hall of Famer.
Some of his contemporaries, like former two-division champ Daniel Cormier, argue that time served shouldn’t necessarily be considered a mark of success. Miller disagrees, especially when he reflects on his UFC career.
“I feel messed up saying it, but what I’ve done might be more impressive than just winning a title,” Miller stated. He feels some fighters were gifted opportunities, while he had to fight in the trenches. Longevity hasn’t been easy.
Miller knows the UFC wouldn’t have kept him around this long without earning it. He admits that a spot in the Hall of Fame would be a great way to cap off his career.
“The reason that I am still here is because of the way that I fight,” Miller said. “It’s not because of things I say at press conferences. It’s only because of the way that I step into the octagon and fight.”
Miller understands that fighters can be cut for any reason, even after a win. His longevity and the list of fighters he’s shared the octagon with make him feel honored. If he gets the chance to be in the Hall of Fame, it will indeed be a great honor.