When the defending International Fight League team champion Quad Cities Silverbacks, took to the ring in Chicago on May 19, they knew full well the importance of every single fight.
They needed a convincing win to secure a playoff spot, taking at least four of the five matches.
What the Silverbacks didn't plan on, though, was Miller's big right hand. At just under the one-minute mark of the first round that right came crashing into Neer's jaw for a devastating knockout that few had predicted.
Neer was sent toppling into the ropes — his eyes still open but seeing nothing — and the Silverbacks were sent into a kind of playoff purgatory.
Neer's KO loss to the hard-charging Miller, combined with the submission victory for Tim Kennedy over the Silverbacks' Ryan McGivern, left Pat Miletich's team a 3-2 win that was less than the dominating performance they'd hoped for.
"To me, the biggest surprise was that we didn't go 5-0," Miletich commented after the fight. "We fully expected that."
What the Silverbacks didn't expect, so it seems, was that Miller would prove to be such a fierce striker. While many MMA fans may not be familiar with the former Marine Corps machine-gunner, Miller has been a favorite in the local Midwestern fight circuit for years. He came to MMA after a short career as a kickboxer, and while his ground game may not have yet caught up to his striking skills, he looks to be improving with every match.
The win over Neer has got to be considered Miller's biggest accomplishment so far, and it may be the one that takes him from local favorite to serious contender.
"It was awesome to have this type of win over a well-tested fighter like Josh," Miller said at the post-fight press conference. "It was a great win for me and for my team. I want to fight the best and Neer falls into that category."
Miller started off on shaky footing with the IFL, losing a decision to the New York Pitbulls' Delson Heleno is his first match. He battled back in his next outing, however, coming from behind to defeat the Seattle Tiger Sharks' Brad Blackburn.
Now that the regular season is over and Miller's Red Bears have been eliminated from playoff contention, he'll likely be focusing himself on the year-end individual Grand Prix. The date and participants for the four-man tournaments in each weight class have yet to be announced, but with a 2-1 record on the season Miller seems like a good bet to qualify.
Winning the IFL's welterweight championship would certainly be a boost for his resume, but for the man who only recently came from small-scale shows to packed arenas, adjusting to the level of competition isn't a major concern. When asked what he thought of trying make a leap into the MMA big leagues, like the IFL and UFC, Miller had no problem admitting that he felt he'd already gotten there.
"As far as a leap to the UFC, I don't think it's much of a leap," he said. "The competition we have right now in the IFL is just as tough, and I'm glad. If you're going to fight, you don't want to fight nobodies."
The win over Neer means Miller can't be accused of that, but there's still plenty left for him to do if he wants to establish himself as one of the league's top welterweights.
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