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Cole Miller | ||
Anyone who has seen any of the Ultimate Fighter series may recognize Cole Miller. Miller, born April 26, 1984 in Augusta, Georgia, is an American Mixed Martial Artist who is currently competing in both the featherweight and lightweight divisions. Miller was a contestant on Spike’s TV—The Ultimate Fighter 5. Miller agreed to complete an Interview for the magazine. Here is what formulated:
Isaac-Joseph: Hello Cole thanks for doing this Interview for our Internet Magazine. I want to first say that I really enjoyed watching you on The Ultimate Fighter 5. Give us some quick stats on you:
Cole Miller: Stats? Well I’m 13-2 as a professional MMA fighter, and I was 8-1 as an amateur. I’ve had over 30 grappling matches as well.
Isaac-Joseph: I read in your bio that you trained at the American Top Team academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with Ricardo Liborio and Charles McCarthy. How was that experience for you and what did you gain from that experience?
Cole Miller: Well that’s where I currently train, not where I trained. So I am constantly gaining everything down here; striking, wrestling and jujitsu.
Isaac-Joseph: I also read in your bio that you made your featherweight debut in Shooto, being defeated by Shooto World Champion Takeshi Inoue by unanimous decision, while taking the fight on short notice. From that first time fighting professional, what did you learned from that that you use currently in your fighting skills?
Cole Miller: Well that would’ve been like my 10th time fighting professional. You can look that up in my record that was I think my 10th professional fight. I took it on short notice and still felt I won the fight. I knew I wouldn’t win a Dec in Japan though. I did realize I could compete and beat the best guys in the world at 145lbs so I felt the next jump would be lightweight.
Isaac-Joseph: How did it come about that you became a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 5 show?
Cole Miller: I had been in talks with Joe Silva the matchmaker of the UFC, and also with Tuf producers. My skills spoke for themselves. I had the record and the look they wanted I guess.
Isaac-Joseph: As a member of Jens Pulver's Team, at any time did you ever wish you were on the other team? Why or Why not.
Cole Miller: Well it was two contrasting styles in how the teams trained. Sure, I wished I’d been on BJ's team sometimes to learn more technique but I was happy being on Jens' team; he had us all mentally ready and in shape to compete.
Isaac-Joseph: Cole, you won your preliminary fight on the show against Alan Berube by Triangle Choke in the first round. However, you were defeated by Joe Lauzon in the quarter-finals. What was going through your mind after that match up and what did you take with you from that match to help improve your abilities as a fighter?
Cole Miller: I felt like he was getting tired and I was going to submit him until I was illegally elbowed. I was just on Queer St. after that; I wasn’t really about my senses. I didn’t really learn anything from that fight.
Isaac-Joseph: You are currently living in Boca Raton, FL where you are training at American Top Team. What has been the difference with this facility versus the one that you trained at in Macon, GA?
Cole Miller: The difference isn’t even comparable. I train with world class athletes as training partners and friends. And I have world class trainers as well. It’s incredible and was the life changing experience. I thought it would be when I moved down.
Cole Miller
Isaac-Joseph: You are a Purple belt. What steps are you taking to get to that next level?
Cole Miller: I just need to train a lot more gi. I feel no gi I compete well with a lot of the "better" guys in jujitsu. I go to grappling tournaments and tap purple belts, brown belts, black belts. I feel I am close to brown belt in the gi as well I am getting there; when my instructor says I am ready for my brown that’s when ill be ready.
Isaac-Joseph: What advice can you give to younger kids looking to get into MMA?
Cole Miller: It takes a lot of sacrifice to get to the places you want to be in life. Eat right, train right, and surround yourself with a team that you feel comfortable with.
Isaac-Joseph: What are you future goals in this industry?
Cole Miller: World champion
Isaac-Joseph: Do you consider yourself a role model and do you believe you should be held to a higher standard because you are in the spotlight? Why or Why not?
Cole Miller: I don’t really think I am a role model but I guess I am to some people. I don’t think that I should be held to a higher standard. I am who I am. No one should try to tell me how to be or to not be myself. I will do as I please and say what I want.
Isaac-Joseph: How have your family, friends, and fans help stay focus with your goals?
Cole Miller: I’ve had a lot of support from my family and friends. That keeps me going in this business.
Isaac-Joseph: Any Shout outs you would like to give to anyone? Thanks for an excellent interview…..
Cole Miller: Thanks no problem. I'd like to thank my team, TapOut, and Streetwise.
Cole Miller on MySpace
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cole_Miller
Photos used in this story were provided by Cole Miller.
