TUF 8 champ Efrain Escudero in talks to face Cole Miller at UFC 103
by Jesse Holland on Apr 22, 2009 10:37 AM EDT
26 comments
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 lightweight winner Efrain Escudero (11-0) announced yesterday during a live Q&A session via his official website that he's in talks to face American Top Team lightweight Cole Miller (15-3) at UFC 103, though a date and venue have yet to be determined for this event.
Escudero bested season favorite, Phillipe Nover, via unanimous decision at TUF 8 Finale to capture the 155-pound crown at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 13. He was supposed to lose, but he didn’t, relying on his strong wrestling background to frustrate the Filipino for three rounds.
Prior to the win, the collegiate wrestling standout choked out Ido Pariente, Shane Nelson and Junie Browning to punch his ticket to the finals. Browning called for a rematch after he stopped Dave Kaplan, but came up short against Cole Miller at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1.
Like Browning, submission defense will be a priority when Escudero faces "Magrino." Miller was a talented up-and-comer who fell just short of the TUF finals, eventually succumbing to Joe Lauzon after being rattled with an illegal punch to the back of his head in the TUF 5 semifinals.
Since his UFC debut in June of 2007, Miller has gone 4-1, including an impressive submission victory over exiled lightweight Jorge Gurgel at UFC 86 and then the quick work of "The Lunatic" earlier this month.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more details on UFC 103 as they become available.
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Magrino will outstrike him with his reach and maybe tap him if Efrain gets frustrated
More than likely get UD win though I’d think
by IrishKev on Apr 22, 2009 10:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yep!really bad match up for Efrain
by Alpha Male 360 on Apr 22, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
this isnt that bad of a match up man, ive only seen cole miller lose to wreslters and manny gamburiyan ..lol whatever i consider that just pitbull style ,but i see efrain gettin the desicion. And you guys are saying he isnt getting babied like the rest, but who are they gunna put hiom against instead, I dont consider cole miller to be top 10 so its not like there thrwiong him in there with nate diaz, greg maynard, tyson griffen and ect.
by JG on Apr 22, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Totally agree. Miller really looked great against Junie. This could be another solid win for him.
by RyGuy on Apr 22, 2009 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i DONT GET IT. All other TUF winners get babied, and right off the bat they want Efrain to fight Cole? Bad match up!
by john on Apr 22, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t call it babied. A lot of the TUF guys don’t have extensive records and are allowed to climb the ladder slowly. It makes sense to me.
Anyway, it pains me, but I totally agree that Efrain shouldn’t be thrown to Cole this fast.
by Punch You in the Ovaries on Apr 22, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
efrain’s first fight was gunna be against jeremy stephens and he got hurt a week before but if this is efrain gettin in there to fast with good guys……if im not mistaken cole miller got his ass beat by stephens, so this aint that bad, plus i jsut cant get the image of cole miller winning the first fight of season 5 and running to the back and just start balling his eyes out
by JG on Apr 22, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
OMG …..MMATH JG…dont coutn on MMA math just facts that you know. but im not disagreeing. cole miller is a more accomplished MMA fighter that efrain. and has way more experience than efrain has. bad bad match up for him…this isnt junie or phillip nover when it come to striking and ground game.
by santiag69us on Apr 22, 2009 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
who doesn’t look good against junie?
by randy murders on Apr 22, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why the hell should Cole Miller have to face another TUF newb? The guy’s got like 18 professional fights against the likes of Jorge Gurgel, Leonard Garcia and Jeremy Stephens. He shouldn’t have to fight these rookies.
by sudnvictory on Apr 23, 2009 5:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Escudero in this. I counted him out before and was surprised. He’s a smart fighter who comes in with a game plan and puts it into action. Miller is also a bit of a dick.
by Caknakker on Apr 22, 2009 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
YEah he has a gameplan just like every other wrestler, take him down and hold him there maybe a punch every now and again to show that i am doing something so the ref wont stand me up . and if the other guy gets up or we get stood up take him back down and repeat.
by Winner by Strikes!! on Apr 22, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Amen to that….Clay Guida puts me to sleep. Decision Dan. Hell even GSP in my opinion now does this wayyy to much that he has a lot to lose…but then again that could be the reason I’m not considered one of the best fighters in the world….
by Heaton on Apr 22, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
dude clay guida , thats just cold lol , as a fighter id be offended to hear that if i was efrain
by JG on Apr 22, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Talk about getting thrown to the wolves. Efrain’s career is going to be over before it starts.
by thetuf75 on Apr 22, 2009 10:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
have you looked at how deep the lw divison is, cole not even top 10
by JG on Apr 22, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This would be a pretty good fight IMO. Would love to see them go at it
by ShitleTot.com on Apr 22, 2009 11:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I know Ima probably get some flack for this but I don’t think Cole looked that good against Junie. I’m with the rest of you and wish Junie would choke on his morning coco puffs and die but I really wasn’t impressed…I wonder what would have happened if Junie didn’t stick out his neck and beg to get tapped because I thought he was hanging in there, at least more so than I figured he would. Anyways Im going to go with Efrain in a boring UD win.
by Heaton on Apr 22, 2009 12:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well said Heaton… I’m even going to throw some cash on this one.
by JonnyBoy on Apr 22, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
WAR HECHO EN MEXICO!!!
He’s got got talent and he has proved that he doesn’t care who is the favorite to win a fight. he just goes out there and fights smart. all you cry babies who think he’s boring are probably the same that say machida is boring. fighters have different styles but its still mma.
this fight is far from now but when it happens I hope Efrain wins.
by TRIKZ on Apr 22, 2009 12:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You do not think machida is boring? except his last fight where at in any of his fights were they at all interesting? The highlight of the him and tito fight was one yves levinge falling down and then he finally got a nice liver shot in on tito and then the next best thing was tito almost pulling of the submission on him with 35 seconds to go. He submitted sokadju but thats not to hard i might even be able to do that! Machida IS boring and rashad has his number!
by Winner by Strikes!! on Apr 22, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i really didnt consider efrains wrestling to be that boring to begin with. unlike the casual fan i appreciate the ground aspect immensely. i thought efrain’s take downs were WAY slick and tight on the show. i agree with about everyone here this is a bad match up and il even go far as he is kind of being given a tougher route than most babied tuf winners. i think cole wins this 6/10 times we could see efrain win but he has to throw out the most impressive performance of his career
by butters on Apr 22, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Should be a tough fight for Efrain but I got Cole with a late sub in RD 3.
by Dennis on Apr 22, 2009 2:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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