We're back with yet another betting prediction and pick as the UFC 309 Prelims begin to heat up. This next bout takes us to the Lightweight (155) Division and will feature UFC iron man Jim Miller taking on a dangerous opponent in Fortis MMA's Damon Jackson. Check out our UFC odds series for our Miller-Jackson prediction and pick.
Jim Miller (37-18) has gone 26-17-0-1 inside the UFC since 2006. Holding the record for most fights (44) in UFC history, Miller continues to defy the odds and make his way back into the cage. He's gone a 3-2 over his last five fights and will look to bounce back following his recent decision loss to Bobby Green. Miller stands 5'8″ with a 71-inch reach.
Damon Jackson (23-7-1) has gone 6-5-1-1 since joining the UFC in 2014. After posting a four-fight winning streak, Jackson has dropped three of his last four appearances against tough opposition. He'll be looking to bounce back from his loss to Chepe Mariscal as the betting favorite this time around. Jackson stands 5'11” with a 71-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 309 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 309 Odds: Jim Miller-Damon Jackson Odds
Jim Miller: +142
Damon Jackson: -170
Over 2.5 rounds: -145
Under 2.5 rounds: +114
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Why Jim Miller Will Win
Jim Miller will once again be making the walk to the UFC octagon for the forty-fifth time in his career. At 41 years old, Miller knows the most important part is getting through his fight camp and preparing mentally for each passing bout while he still feels confident in his ability to perform at a high level. He's been saying during fight week that he'll be looking to bring the violence in this one, so expect a vintage performance from Miller as he tries to earn the finish in this fight.
“I'm going to try to be as violent as I can.”
Jim Miller (@JimMiller_155) expects a vintage performance on Saturday when he takes on Damon Jackson at #UFC309.
Watch the full interview ➡️: https://t.co/P3op4CWR60
— UFC News (@UFCNews) November 13, 2024
While he wasn't able to out-strike Bobby green during his last fight, Miller was still able to hang in the pocket and avoid the knockout loss. He may be able to work some of his grappling in this one as Jackson is bound to shoot for a takedown, so look for Miller to threaten with his patented guillotine submissions as he works towards advantageous position. It wouldn't be wise to count Miller out at any point of this fight.
Why Damon Jackson Will Win
Damon Jackson has felt rejuvenated since moving up to the Lightweight Division and he's hoping this new weight class could help him avoid some of the weight issues he's had in the past. Jackson has been cutting significant weight to make 145 in the past, so we should see a stronger and more energized version of him come Saturday. The added weight should serve him well with his suffocating grappling and he'll be looking to control Miller early into this fight.
A win the Jackson family will never forget ❤️
[ @DamonBJackson | #UFCVegas60 ] pic.twitter.com/w7mCzKbtZR
— UFC (@ufc) September 17, 2022
Damon Jackson will certainly have more ways to win this fight with his longer striking range and ability to sink submissions in, but he'll have to remain wary of any comeback efforts from Miller like we've seen in the past. Jackson will also have to be diligent about avoiding Miller's jab as he's had trouble against southpaws in the past. Look for Jackson to make the most of his wrestling in forcing a scrappy fight and negating Miller's offense throughout this one.
Final Jim Miller-Damon Jackson Prediction & Pick
This will be another exciting Prelim and fans can't wait to see Jim Miller back in action once again. Following his last loss, we could see a more vintage and aggressive version of Miller as he tries to counteract the smothering fight style from Jackson. Damon Jackson, on the other hand, is extremely confident in fighting at his new weight and we should see him even more willing to grapple with his opponent and drag him along the fence.
We expect Jim Miller to have a very stable game plan with his striking throughout this one, but Jackson is just too relentless in earning the takedown and will likely see a number of those scenarios along the fence. Still, don't sleep on Miller's ability to sink a guillotine choke if Jackson finds himself too deep into a takedown attempt.
For our final prediction, we have to roll with Damon Jackson to win this fight as he's lost by submission just once. He has 15 submission wins of his own and it's not likely that Jim Miller will cause too much of a threat on the ground unless Jackson makes a dire mistake.
Final Jim Miller-Damon Jackson Prediction & Pick: Damon Jackson (-170); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-145)