"A Panera Bread and a general store" - When Jim Miller compared his stardom in New Jersey with Conor McGregor's in Dublin
Jim Miller is certainly a fan favorite within the MMA community, but even he knows that his fame pales in comparison to that of Conor McGregor's, who is arguably the biggest superstar in the history of mixed martial arts.
McGregor has always worn his heart on his sleeve when it comes to his nationality, and he has never shied away from expressing his love and commitment for his country.
As a result, 'The Notorious' is incredibly popular in Ireland. In fact, the Irish capital city of Dublin is known to shut down and tune in whenever McGregor fights, and many even travel across the Atlantic to catch the former champion in action.
Jim Miller maintains a similar position, albeit on a much smaller scale, in his home state of New Jersey, and he is extremely proud of that.
Miller expressed the pride and confidence he draws from that support, while also graciously admitting that McGregor, in his own right, is a much bigger star. In an interview with FloCombat in 2017, Miller said:
"Look... I get that the entire city of Dublin closes down when Conor McGregor fights, but I'm quite proud to say Sparta, New Jersey, also goes dark when I step into the cage. Granted, we are talking about a Panera Bread and a general store, but those are semantics."
Conor McGregor announces his next fight against Michael Chandler, says it will happen at 185 pounds
Conor McGregor recently took to social media to announce his comeback bout against Michael Chandler, claiming that it will take place during International Fight Week, 2024.
What caught fans by surprise, however, was his mention of the fact that the bout will be contested at middleweight. McGregor, who has fought at featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight, faced Dustin Poirier in his last outing in a lightweight contest.
As a result, hearing that his next bout was not one, but two weight classes higher shocked fans. That being said, no official announcement or confirmation has come from the UFC, so it's not clear if Conor McGregor's claims are true or not.
Regardless, Michael Chandler reacted to the announcement in an interview with TMZ, stating that he believes McGregor's choice to fight at 185 pounds will serve as a disadvantage to the Irishman. He said:
"Conor has gained weight, gained muscle mass, gotten bigger, I don't think he'll be able to move like the Conor of old. He won't be able to have the same reaction time and footwork and be light on his feet at 170, let alone 185, so I think it benefits me, so where they wanna do it, I'll do it. I'm ready."
Check out the clip here: