MMA Combat - Title Fights Added to Dream 17, Tavares Replaces Miller at UFC 132

Dream LHW Champ, Gegard Mousasi

MMA Combat - Title Fights Added to Dream 17, Tavares Replaces Miller at UFC 132

The fight card for Dream 17 has recently been bolstered by the addition of two title fights promotion officials announced on Monday, May 30. Dream 17 is set to take place July 16, at the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan, and will also feature the finals of the Dream Bantamweight Tournament.

Light heavyweight title holder Gegard Mousasi (30-3-2) will take on 2004 Olympic Games Judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi (4-1-0) as "The Dreamcatcher" looks to bounce back from a disappointing yet controversial draw with UFC veteran Keith Jardine in April of this year. Mousasi is a perfect 7-0 under the Dream banner while Izumi is a winner in four-straight appearances under both the K-1 and Sengoku RC promotions.

As well, featherweight titleholder Hiroyuki Takaya (15-9-1) will square off with wrestling ace, Kazuyuki Miyata (11-7-0) who has found his stride of late winning 6 consecutive bouts including his most recent against UFC veteran Caol Uno. Takaya last appeared April 9, 2011, at Strikeforce - Diaz vs. Daley where he dropped a split decision to Robert Peralta.

Also in the news, TUF alumnus and Season 11 semifinalist, Brad Tavares (7-0-0) will replace Jason Miller at UFC 132 - Cruz vs. Faber II this July 2, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he'll take on Aaron Simpson (9-2-0). Perfect to start his professional career, Tavares has only been to the judges cards once thus far in seven outings, while stopping five of his opponents inside the first round.

Simpson, who also posted seven-consecutive wins to begin his career, will now look to make it two straight after coming off a one-sided victory against Mario Miranda this past March 26, at UFC - Fight Night 24. Jason Miller recently signed-on to coach opposite Michael Bisping on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter (14) after Chael Sonnen was handed down a 12 month suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for a positive doping test following UFC 117 where he contested the promotion's 185lbs title.


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The Re-introduction of "Mayhem"

Jason "Mayhem" Miller's re-introduction to the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight division is a much needed infusion of a hard-nosed marketable personality, but don't expect a title run.

Known for his eccentric entrances Miller (24-7-0) is a gritty scrapper with strong jiu jitsu ability boasting 14 finishes by way of submission. The thirty year old Atlanta, Georgia, native is a winner in two straight bouts and brings with him a nearly cult-like following, which the UFC's 185lbs division is sorely lacking.

Saturday, the UFC announced that the newly signed veteran who will now make his second stint with the promotion is tabbed to face "A-Train" Aaron Simpson (8-2-0) in his return to the octagon at UFC 132, July 2, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Miller is a smart fighter, able to adjust his game depending on the direction of the bout or opportunities provided by his opposition; he possess above average conditioning and is often able to push the pace as the fight wears on, however, his wrestling and speed remain the weaker parts of his arsenal and the former will have to be addressed if he is to become more than a gatekeeper with great entertainment value.

The middleweight division is one with balance at the top, but like others before it, the future suggests that an increasing number of wrestlers are on their way to prominence. Those who are already there such as Aaron Simpson, Yushin Okami, Mark Munoz, and Chael Sonnen all possess the tools to stifle Miller's attack with their grinding top control styles.

The good news? Santiago, Bisping, W. Silva, Maia, and Belfort are all exciting style match-ups for Miller and his immense durability will likely be his greatest asset in such encounters.

The problem? Several of those top contenders are larger and physically stronger than "Mayhem" - who used to compete as light as 170lbs - and could very well take close wins on the back of that strength advantage.

My guess is that Miller will provide some much needed excitement at 185lbs, but will drop a close decision to Simpson in his return to promotion; the UFC will want to capitalize on his draw power, throwing him a better match-up if the first plays out like I imagine it will. Santiago, Silva, or Bisping would all be thrilling but sooner than later Miller will need to re-invent himself to stay relevant, returning to 170lbs.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller is an incredibly durable fighter who often improves as the contest wears on, but his place is not among the 185lbs top 5 elite. You should expect the excitement that makes him so endearing to his fans, but this commentator does not see a title shot in his future. It is however, probably that he can become the mainstay that fighters such as Chris Leben, and/or Lytle have become; there's nothing wrong with building a career like that!


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