Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jim Miller was certain his life as a fighter is coming to a close. He intended to announce his retirement after a final bout at UFC 200 but in a strange turn of events he might not be ending his career after all.
Miller, a jiujitero under Renzo Gracie black belt Jamie Cruz, thought his 34 professional fights and ripe old age of 32 have finally caught up with him. As he told NYPost:
“It was one of those things where I started physically going downhill and having a tough time training,” Miller told The Post this week. “It didn’t matter if I was warmed up or not, every time I stood up, it would hurt my knees and hurt my hips. I just thought it was part of my progression in this sport.”
This is why Miller accepted a fight in one of the preliminary pay per view events ahead of UFC 200.
But just a few weeks before the fight Miller consulted a physicial who took some tests and eventually diagnosed him with Lyme disease- a disease you get from an infected tick bite that responds to medication.
Just short two days after beginning treatment Miller started to feel like he was his old self.
Thanks to the proper diagnosis and medication he won against Takanori Gomi improving his record to 26-8-1.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Miller said. “I came into that fight healthy and not banged up and I’m ready to hop back in. I’d love to fight in the Garden [UFC 205], but I’m trying to fight before that. I don’t want to hang around until November.”
“Problem is a lot of the symptoms are exactly what you’d expect after being a professional fighter for a decade,” Miller said, “joint pain, stiffness, an inability to stay focused. I thought I had rheumatoid arthritis.
As of right now, his retirement plans are on hold.
