Former Sparta wrestler Jim Miller has been enjoying a very successful career in the UFC for the last few years.

In the early part of the decade, Sparta wrestler Jim Miller was a hard nosed feather weight for the Spartans, competing at 103 to 140 weight breaks during his career. Back then he was considered one of the better wrestlers in the area, but not even he knew he would eventually become a professional fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship league.

The 2002 graduate left Sparta with only a handful of losses during illustrious wrestling career and even finished 7th in the States during his senior season. After high school, Miller went on to Virginia Tech to wrestle at the next level.

After college he started his working career in construction. But during a short stint in the working world, Jim and his brother Dan had the wrestling bug and decided to get into Mixed Martial Arts. They quickly excelled and in May of 2005 they both became professional. Soon after that, the UFC signed the both of them and the rest is history.

NJAC Sports Center caught up with Miller to reminisce about the old Sparta wrestling days, how his life as a professional athlete has evolved and what his message is to the Sparta athletes is this year.

Q: What was your favorite moment as a wrestler for Sparta?
A: My favorite moment as a Sparta wrestler is easily when we won the state sectional title in 2000 at Indian Hills High School. The team worked very hard and wrestled great in that tournament.

Q: Were you a fan of mixed mar  ...Read More