Longtime UFC lightweight fighter Jim Miller revealed that his 14-year-old son beat cancer ahead of his return to the cage at UFC 328.
Miller, the UFC’s all-time wins leader with 27, has not fought since April 2025, when he lost a unanimous decision to Chase Hooper at UFC 314. The 42-year-old living legend has 46 UFC bouts, and he hopes to get to 50 before he hangs up his gloves. Given that, it’s been a bit surprising to see him so inactive this past year.
However, Miller has a good reason for sitting out the past 13 months, as his 14-year-old son had cancer and the devout father was by his side while he fought and beat the disease.
Jim Miller Reveals Son’s Cancer
Speaking to Cole Shelton of BJPenn.com, Miller opened up about his son’s cancer. When the family first heard the news, they were completely shocked, as expected. But his son fought and beat the affliction, and Miller is nothing but proud of his boy.
“My older son, my 14-year-old son, ended up having some health issues. He kicked its ass. We had a really tough six months, the last three months of last year and the first three months of this year. I couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out. He’s amazing, he’s an amazing young man, he makes me proud every day,” Miller said.
“He had cancer, he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a very aggressive and very rare childhood cancer. He had a tumor tucked into his sinus and eye socket. Frontally, location-wise, it was probably in the best spot it could be. It popped right out when he did the biopsy. But he still had to go through the two rounds of chemotherapy and a round of radiation. The radiation was for five weeks, every day by Rutgers, which is an hour-and-a-half from us. The ability to do that and move my schedule around, cause I was training for a fight when he got into the radiation part. I’m glad I’m a fighter, I’m glad I chose this road, so I could be there for my son and help him through his struggles.”
Jim Miller Fights Jared Gordon at UFC 328
Miller takes on fellow vet Jared Gordon at UFC 328 in his native New Jersey. This should be a fun fight between two longtime veterans of the sport, though the oddsmakers don’t love Miller’s chances here. He is a +250 betting underdog to win, but he has pulled off many upsets during his UFC career, and he will have a chance here against Gordon, especially if he can lock in his patented guillotine choke.
Miller still has the goal of fighting at UFC 400 after previously fighting at UFC 100, UFC 200, and UFC 300, the only fighter on the roster to do that. He is a true living legend of MMA and will undoubtedly be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done. But he’s not done just yet, as this weekend at UFC 328, he’s going to do everything he can to defy the odds once again and beat Gordon.
Jim Miller Reveals Son Beat Cancer Ahead of UFC 328 Return