• UFC on Fox 3

Diaz v Miller winner gets title shot after Edgar

ESPN staff
March 7, 2012
Jim Miller recently lost to Ben Henderson © Getty Images
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UFC president Dana White made the surprising declaration on Tuesday that Nate Diaz or Jim Miller will get the next crack at lightweight champion Ben Henderson, after Frankie Edgar.

Miller and Diaz go head to head in the UFC on Fox 3 main event, in a clash of two of the top contenders at 155lbs. The winner, confirmed by White, will book a shot at UFC gold after Edgar gets the chance to avenge his own defeat to Henderson.

"We said that the winner of this fight (Diaz vs. Miller) would get the next shot," White said at Tuesday's press conference.

The news is particularly surprising in Miller's case, having lost to current champion Henderson just two fights ago. The one-sided manner of the defeat made a rematch seem unlikely, but clearly back-to-back wins over Melvin Guillard and Diaz would be enough to earn Miller a second chance.

Certainly Diaz carries the greater momentum into the May 5 contest, having gone 2-0 since his return to the lightweight division. His last outing, a dominant win over Donald Cerrone, was particularly impressive.

Perhaps the biggest loser from White's announcement is Anthony Pettis, who stated his case for a title shot with a recent head kick knockout of Joe Lauzon. Pettis is the last man to defeat Henderson, but it seems he will be forced to wait for his opportunity.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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