Miller aims to win, wow UFC viewers

What is certain is both fighters have been involved in their fair share of entertaining battles and they’re matched against each other in hopes the UFC’s third network TV event will be headlined by a livelier bout than the first two.

Junior dos Santos knocked out Cain Velasquez in only 64 seconds on the first Fox show back in November and Rashad Evans grinded out a one-sided decision win over Phil Davis to cap the second event in January.

Saturday’s showdown between Miller and Diaz could end that run.

“I just try to go out and fight and do the things that I’m good at. I know if I’m satisfied and I’m excited about how a fight went, then 95 percent of the people out there are going to be excited about it,” Miller said. “Fortunately, I’m a little bit reckless at times and sometimes it works out for me.”

Miller, 28, has won eight of his last nine matches, with the only loss coming to current champion Ben Henderson.

Still, Miller has yet to earn the chance to fight for the title in the crowded 155-pound class. He might get that opportunity with a win over Diaz, though the organization has not officially designated the bout as a No. 1 contender fight.

“It all really depends on how the fight goes, I guess,” Miller said. “I’m just focused on our fight and whatever happens after that is of no concern to me right now. But if I could win impressively then, really, who else are they going to put in there?”

The New Jersey native should have the crowd on his side. The bout will take place in East Rutherford and Miller expects plenty of friends and family to attend. While their presence won’t help him inside the cage, he’s excited for the reception he’s likely to receive.

“I definitely feed off the energy and if they give me a good cheer as I make my way to the octagon, I’m definitely going to get goose bumps and hopefully ride that energy to a victory at the end,” he said.

■ ALMEIDA TO JUDGE – The athletic commission in New Jersey announced that former UFC fighter Ricardo Almeida will be one of the judges on the card, including the welterweight fight between Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks.

Almeida has been judging fights for almost a year since retiring, but this will be his first high-profile assignment.

Hendricks and Koscheck expressed support for an ex-fighter being one of the three people determining a winner should the fight go the distance.

“I think that’s what we need, people like that stepping in there and doing that kind of stuff because they know what it’s like to jump in the cage,” Hendricks said. “He is going to know a little bit more about the sport and going to know what positions really mean. He’ll know when a strike actually lands.”

■ LOMBARD GETS OPPONENT – The UFC’s newest addition now has an opponent and a card for his organizational debut. Former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard, who has gone 25 fights and six years without a loss, will meet Brian Stann on the UFC on Fox 4 card in Los Angeles on Aug. 4.

The card will include a light heavyweight matchup between Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.