Jason "Mayhem" Miller is a man of his word.
The now-unemployed fighter said before his bout with C.B. Dollaway that if he'd lost, he'd retire. He dropped a decision at UFC 146 on Saturday, then was cut from the UFC.
On Monday's "MMA Hour," he said he's walking away from fighting after winning 23 bouts and losing nine.
"Every fighter gives the same answer when they say they're retired. Pretty much every fighter says 'I'm retired until I need money.' I'm a pretty smart dude, I have other avenues open to me."
Miller hosts MTV's "Bully Beatdown," and is, as he puts it, a smart dude. He gets business and selling his own brand, which is why he uses the flamboyant entrances that Dana White blasted.
He also shed light on the "backstage incident" White referred to when discussing Miller's dismissal at the UFC 146 post-fight press conference.
"It was my mask," Miller said. "Burt suddenly started yelling about my mask. I had a gas mask for the troops underneath my paper bag, and Burt started telling me right as I'm walking out for the fight. I'm trying to get focused instead of arguing about a paper bag. Maybe it was my fault for, I don't know, I thought we had an understanding once I start walking out to the cage that now I'm working, but obviously we're not on a playing field of mutual respect."
He is referring to UFC backstage director and jack of all trades Burt Watson. UFC events being the well-run events they are has much to do with Watson and the respect fighters afford him. If there is just one rule that supersedes every other in the UFC, it's listen to Burt. Fighters, employees, media and anyone doing business with the UFC knows this. Whether Miller is right or wrong is not important.
Now, Miller will have both the time and freedom to figure out his next move. He tweeted on Tuesday:
Don't worry. I'm not dead. Just analyzing it all so I can share my human experience with you.
Though his next move won't be in a cage, it will still be interesting to see what Miller does with his post-fighting life
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