Breakdown UFC Fight Night: Cole Miller vs. Junie Browning

April 1st is quickly approaching.  Mixed with all of the jokes will be a good night of mixed martial arts action.   The UFC will provide fight fans with another free event on Spike.  The  main event will showcase WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit against Martin Kampmann.  We will get to that fight in a later installment.  We start with one of the most anticipated bouts on the card Cole Miller vs. Junie Browning.

There are times when fighters do their best WWE impersonation and intentionally try to hype their fights (see Rashad vs Rampage), and then there are times when the hype seems a little more real.  In the past few months the war of words between Cole and Junie has been in full circle.  Most of the comments have been about their jits games or lack of.  According to Cole the state of Kentucky has been handing out purple belts.  Junie has said that Cole’s jits game is very technical, but does not translate into MMA  If you believe that see Cole’s last fight.

Junie Browning was the face of the 8th season of TUF.  During the show it appeared as if Junie was more interested in getting kicked off the show than staying on.  He threw glasses, ran his mouth, and even jumped the cage after a fight. Junie was a ticking time bomb, he always seemed like he was on the edge of blowing up.  Honestly, he seemed bipolar and poised to be the next possible fighter to lose his shot at stardom, before it ever truly got started.  What a difference 4 months makes.  After a win on the TUF Finale over Dave Kaplan, it seems like Junie is here to stay…for now.  Junie is 1-0 in the UFC but Cole Miller is not a push over by any means.  Junie seems to be uninterested in the ground game of Miller.  However, if Junie is going to win, he does not need to test his ground skills in this fight.  Cole Miller is without a doubt better than Junie on the ground.  He must keep it standing.  Although Miller is the taller fighter, Junie can use his stand up to get control and possibly land the finishing blow.  The longer the fight goes, the worse off it is for Browning.  His mental toughness is in question.  If he is in a barn burner for 2 rounds and is getting controlled on the ground, it is unknown if he has the testicular fortitude to stay tough without folding.

Like Junie, Cole is a product of the UFC’s reality show TUF.  Same show, different season, different results.  Cole has been a very tough and game fighter since officially joining the UFC.  In just under two years he has an impressive record of 3-1 in the UFC.  Last July he fought a very tough Jorge Gurgel and sunk in a highlight reel triangle submission.  It was the submission equivalent of an overhand right that landed perfectly!  Junie Browning is no Jorge Gurgel.  He is a rookie stepping up to bat in crunch time.  On paper Cole Miller is a much better fighter.  He is more seasoned and overall more talented.  If Cole is to win this fight his game plan should consist of a lot of jab work, circling to his right, and setting up the take down.  The jab will allow him to use his height and take control of the fight.  This will aggravate Junie and could lead to a mistake.  Junie is reletivly new and mistakes are sure to come.  Cole is the type of fighter that can capitalize on mistakes, especially if they happen on the ground.

Prediction:  The jury is still out on Junie Browning.  His move to Extreme Couture is a respectable one, but if one man can lead Junie it is Randy Couture.  Extreme Couture is one of the best gyms in the world, but ATT is the best.  Cole will be in better shape and his talent will carry him to victory.  This one is going to the ground and that is where Cole will dominate.  Watch out for some type of submission by Miller to finish this fight.