Recently, 57-year-old UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich was unable to defeat Mike Jackson in three rounds at Caged Aggression 36.
Jackson was positioned underneath Miletich for the majority of the two rounds. Miletich knocked his opponent to the ground with a right hand off a naked lead kick.
But at the 5:00 mark of the third round in the main event of the Saturday night program, Jackson was declared the victor by TKO. This was because Miletich was unable to answer the bell for the third round.
Competing before an enthusiastic hometown crowd in Davenport, Iowa, Miletich’s legacy is quite well-known. He transformed Miletich Fighting Systems into an MMA household name.
Additionally, he was accompanied by his long-standing teammate and fellow UFC Hall of Famer Jens Pulver as his corner.
With an electrifying energy, Miletich seized control early. He held Jackson in a side mount, unleashing a barrage of powerful elbows. MMA instructor Elias Cepeda was Jackson’s cornerman. He yelled commands, but Jackson was nearly unable to flee.
The intensity escalated in the second round when Miletich aggressively pursued a takedown, swiftly transitioning to a quarter mount in search of a decisive finish. However, Jackson managed to regain his footing, progressively advancing. He landed a series of well-placed punches.
While none of the blows were particularly devastating, it was Miletich’s dwindling stamina that proved to be the decisive factor.
Following a brief exchange with his corner, an utterly fatigued Miletich rose to his feet, signalling his surrender. Pulver approached Jackson with an air of menace. One broadcaster said that Pulver said, “I’ll f*** you up.”
But gradually as tempers calmed down, Jackson acknowledged the prowess of his opponent. He paid tribute to Miletich as a true legend of the sport. In a fitting conclusion, he exclaimed: “Wakanda Forever.”
Known for his prominent role in right-wing MMA politics, Miletich displayed humility in defeat.
He said: “I gotta be honest…something that never happened to me in a fight: I gassed. Halfway through 2, I literally couldn’t breathe. I feel like a coward, because I trained as hard as I could, but smart fight by Mike, and hat’s off to him.”