Preview: UFC Fight Night 119 ‘Brunson vs. Machida’
Miller vs. Trinaldo
Lightweight
Jim Miller (28-10) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (21-5)ODDS: Trinaldo (-220), Miller (+180)
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It is a spiriting turnaround for the 34-year-old Miller, whose active fight style and easy-going good dude persona have made him a hardcore fan favorite for years. It was just a year and a half ago that Miller was on a 1-4 skid, culminating in a dreadful performance against Diego Sanchez at UFC 196. However, the Whippany, New Jersey, native was later diagnosed with Lyme disease, sought treatment and has gone 3-2 since. In his back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier and Anthony Pettis, Miller probably only won a single round of the six combined, but he was more physically and competitively present in those defeats than he had been in some of his victories, circa 2014-15. Miller has lost a step from the form he exhibited seven years ago, but he has developed a kick-heavy attack and become more consistent with his actual striking output while showing a renewed focus on his defense.
Trinaldo is not going to utilize the same blend of speed and precision Pettis or Poirier used to foil Miller, but as a southpaw, he does have something in common with them. However, “Massaranduba” has gone 4-2 facing left-dominant fighters in the Octagon, while Miller is 1-6. Perhaps this is because Trinaldo tends to buck the conventional “fancy dan” southpaw mold. The Brazilian marches forward with a high, tight stance, periodically exploding with heavy low kicks and winging left hands. His sudden power shots pave his way into the clinch, where he has recently started to score with beautiful stepping knees, a la the Paul Felder fight, and can more conventionally throw his opponents to the ground and get to pounding.
To flourish in this fight, Miller will need to use that newly found kicking attack from the outside and try to fatigue the bricked-up “Massaranduba” before the Brazilian gets him on the ground and can start doing damage, depleting his resources. If Miller bides his time early, he may fall prey to Trinaldo putting Round 1 in the bank with a late flurry or top control before getting the snowball going downhill. The worst place for Miller to wind up in this fight is underneath Trinaldo while tired, as the Brazilian can unload thudding punches and elbows while angling for his trademark arm-triangle choke.
Even if healthier and more invigorated than he has been in the recent past, Miller will not be able to match the physicality and multi-positional power of an adversary five years his senior. Trinaldo scores with the low kicks, looping lefts and finds ways to tackle Miller to the mat for the better part of 15 minutes to earn a decision victory.
Next Fight » Hermansson vs. Santos
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