Cole Miller was originally supposed to face Conor McGregor at UFC Dublin this past Saturday, however a broken hand forced Miller off the card. As a result, Diego Brandao stepped in semi-last minute to face Notorious.
Miller spoke with Sherdog Radio Network to talk about McGregor’s win.
“It’s pretty easy to look good when everything’s made for you to look good. He got to fight in his home town with all those people there supporting him. He got a full camp of preparation when his opponent didn’t.
“I don’t think anyone can really judge Diego. He got in there and like I said, he didn’t get his full camp.”
“I think when these people are spoon-fed what their opinions should be they start saying the same stuff they’ve already been hearing from the UFC and the brass,” said Miller.
“Absolutely, I think [the UFC is] behind [McGregor]. I don’t think that he’s a bad thing. I’m not saying he’s great for the sport but he’s probably pretty good for the division. I don’t think Jose Aldo is that big of a draw amongst the fighters. Everyone’s always looking for the gold and he’s the best, but I don’t get a good vibe from fans. Nobody really wants to watch Aldo fight.”
One thing Miller acknowledges is that McGregor is a draw, people want to see him fight. Whether it’s to cheer for him, or hope to see him lose, people watch McGregor fight.
“I think that Conor is good for the weight class,” Miller said. “People like him or they don’t like him. Whether they’re going to repeat what Dana’s already said about him or whether they’re going to develop their own opinion. Like you [Sherdog] said, you don’t think he’s ready for a top five contender yet. I think that’s coming from an educated person who’s been involved in mixed martial arts for over a decade, but these fans are already talking about whether he is or not. That’s something we’ve never seen before.
“I did see something where Dana said Conor reminds him of Ronda Rousey. That’s a pretty bold statement. I told my brother they’re both blond. That must be it.”
Since McGregor’s win, Miller’s teammate Dustin Poirier has been campaigning for a shot at the Irishman via Twitter. Miller gave his opinion on that to Sherdog as well:
“I think Poirier’s been working real hard and doing some real impressive things in the division,” said Miller. “I think he’s ready for a Frankie Edgar or [Cub] Swanson or [Chad] Mendes. [UFC] is obviously trying to build the McGregor fight and I don’t think [McGregor] deserves it, but I don’t think he deserves a lot of things he’s gotten.”