Jim Miller says his recent absence from the cage was driven by a family health crisis, as the longtime UFC veteran prepares to face Jared Gordon at UFC 328 in New Jersey.
Miller, who has been with the UFC since 2008 and has logged 46 fights in the promotion and 57 overall in MMA, explained that he stepped back over the past year to care for his 14-year-old son during cancer treatment.
"My older son, my 14-year-old son, ended up having some health issues," Miller said, later adding, "He had cancer, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma," which he described as "a very aggressive and very rare childhood cancer."
Detailing the ordeal, Miller said, "Which is a very aggressive and very rare childhood cancer. He had a tumor tucked into his sinus and eye socket. Frontally, location-wise, it was probably in the best spot it could be. It popped right out when he did the biopsy. But he still had to go through the two rounds of chemotherapy and a round of radiation. The radiation was for five weeks, every day by Rutgers, which is an hour-and-a-half from us."
Miller credited his career for allowing him to be present during treatment. "The ability to do that and move my schedule around, cause I was training for a fight when he got into the radiation part. I’m glad I’m a fighter, I’m glad I chose this road, so I could be there for my son and help him through his struggles."
Miller, who has fought on UFC 100, UFC 200, and UFC 300, has been largely absent over the past twelve months but says he has stayed active in the gym. He is 3-2 in his last five fights, while Gordon is 2-2-1, and Miller still plans to retire after reaching 50 UFC fights.
