Miller (photo via UFC.com)

By Kelsey Mowatt

From the sounds of it, Cole Miller’s training camp for UFC on FOX 17, might not have required his coaches to burn the midnight oil studying footage of his next opponent…

On Saturday, Miller will take on featherweight Jim Alers, in what will be the latter’s third bout with the promotion. Alers will also be competing in his 16th professional fight. But, the reason Miller and his American Top Team coaches might be more familiar with Alers than previous opponents, is because he trained at the Florida gym.

“He trained with us for his last fight, which is pretty interesting,” Miller relayed on a recent edition of Full Contact Fighter Radio. “Whenever I fought (Max) Holloway, he fought Chas Skelly on that same exact card. I saw him everyday for that eight weeks leading up to that training camp…”

Miller (21-9), meanwhile, is about to compete in his 31st professional bout, but that doesn’t mean he’s not pleased about the extra intelligence he had on Alers.

“For me, it’s just that every little advantage helps,” said Miller. “The fact that all my training partners got to train with him and all my coaches got to coach him, they know what it is that he does good, and what he does bad. What he was really working on in that timeframe that he was here, which was less than six months ago, about six months ago, when he left. Ya. Just every advantage that I can get.”

And what is Miller’s take on Alers (13-2)? Who has gone 1-1 in the UFC to date?

“Pretty tough fighter,” said Miller. “Well rounded. He’s got a really good record obviously. He’s durable. He’s durable in all areas. He’s pretty tough on the feet; I don’t think he’s super technically proficient with his striking, but he definitely has some power and strength that you just can’t walk in with your hands sitting around your waist…”

“He’s got really good takedowns,” added Miller. “He’s a strong athlete from everything that we’ve seen from him training with us and stuff like that. His ground, he’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu much like myself. So, he will be more than competent on the floor.”

UFC on FOX 17 will be hosted by the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.