Pat Healy produced a very impressive debut tonight at UFC 159, getting the better of UFC veteran Jim Miller, claiming a third round rear-naked choke victory.
Miller starts off brightly with a few punches and a kick that all find their mark. Miller continues to land in short bursts, while Healy’s not finding his mark just yet.
Miller secures a takedown and we head into a technical ground battle with Miller looking for an armbar, but Healy escapes and gets back to his feet.
Healy now starting to land a few strikes and then scoops Miller’s legs out from under him and gets the takedown against the cage. Healy gets some nice ground and pound and then gets to his back. Miller stands and gets thrown back to the mat by Healy.
Nice job by Healy, but his good work is undermined by Miller who manages to scramble on top and starts landing some hard punches from side control that leaves Healy bleeding and with swelling to his right eye as the round comes to a close.
Onto round two and Healy initiates a clinch straight away, landing a nice knee on the way in. Healy trips Miller to the mat just for a second before he gets right back up and they continue to clinch before breaking apart with a nice elbow landed from Healy.
Miller goes into the clinch again and pushes Healy up against the cage, landing an elbow of his own. Healy responds with a takedown and starts to land some nice shots, with Miller now also sporting damage around his right eye. Miller looking for a submission, but there’s nothing doing and instead he tries to stand.
Healy takes his back though with Miller on one knee and then he picks his moment to try a rear-naked choke. Miller avoids that but Healy goes straight to the mount.
Credit to Miller however as he manages to scramble out and gets on top. Only momentarily though as Healy gets up and they drop back down to the mat with Miller looking for a choke. Back upright they go and Healy lands a good knee just as the round ends.
Good right hook from Miller to start round three and Healy responds with a couple of punches of his own. The fight goes to the floor just for a few seconds, but they scramble and go back upright.
Miller looking to strike, but Healy clinches up instead. He isn’t able to keep it there though and they break free. Miller lands a leg kick that knocks Healy off-balance. Again Healy responds with a good strike of his own.
Healy scores a takedown, and that could be important in a close fight like this. Healy grinding away with ground and pound and then takes Miller’s back as he tries to get up.
Then Healy pounces on a rear-naked choke and it’s tight. Miller tries to hang in there, but he gets choked unconscious and the fight comes to an end with 4.02mins of the final round gone.
Great win for Healy, showing that he’s able to continue his very good form in the Strikeforce cage over to the UFC and mix it up with some of the best the division has to offer.
