Making return from injury, Spokane fighter Juliana Miller faces Ivana Petrovic at UFC Des Moines
The pressure is on Juliana Miller.
Miller (4-3) returns to the UFC cage in a must-win fight against Germany-born Ivana Petrović (7-2) in the opening bout of UFC Fight Night in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday.
Miller’s last fight was Aug. 12, 2023, when she sustained a severe labrum tear that led to surgery. Finally healed, the Spokane fighter, 28, will face off against the 30-year-old Petrović in the women’s flyweight division.
“Her job’s on the line right now,” Miller’s strength and conditioning coach Dr. Dylan Lemery said. “She’s on a two-fight losing streak, and it’s important to see her get her hand raised.”
Rick Little, Miller’s head coach and owner of Sikjitsu Fighting Systems, said that in the “brutal business” of the fight world, every fight is a “must-win” fight. He views this matchup, however, not as a “must-win,” but a “must-watch” fight.
“This is a showcase of two elite girls,” Little said. “You (have) two girls who’ve never quit in the fight, fighting each other … any given night (these women) can beat any other woman.”
Originally from San Diego, “Killer” Miller moved to Spokane following her dominant performance on the Ultimate Fighter Season 30.
Spokane native and former champion Julianna Peña mentored Miller to victory against Brogan Walker in the season finale of the Ultimate Fighter Season 30.
Little joined Peña as a coach during the season and, seeing Miller’s potential, invited her to his team after the season ended.
“This fight is going to be the tell tale of if I came to the right place,” Miller said. “I really do listen to instruction, and I work really hard, and so I truly believe I’m going to have a dominant performance.”
On paper, Miller steps into the cage at a physical disadvantage to Petrović.
Petrović stands 5-foot-8 to Miller’s 5-7, has a 4-inch reach advantage and a 3-inch leg reach advantage.
The paper doesn’t tell the whole story.
From training healthier, smarter and harder to working on her standup and ground game, Miller seems primed for success.
“(Petrović) is going to have to beat the best version of (Miller),” Little said, “and that’s definitely not going to happen.”
For her part, Miller is looking forward to scrapping with Petrović on the ground.
Miller has refined her ground game with local brown belt and active competitor Kristine Campbell during this camp in pursuit of submitting the currently unfinished Petrović.
“I’ve fought multiple girls who had never been finished before, and I was the first to do it,” Miller said. “I believe that I’m going to take that card from (Petrović) and be the first to get it done.”
Alongside working on shoulder recovery and mobility post-surgery, and working to holistically improve herself as an athlete, Miller is stepping into this fight prepared to give it her all.
“I don’t mind being the underdog,” Miller said. “I am really excited and grateful for the opportunity to go out there and showcase my skills.”
Anywhere the fight goes, Miller is ready, she said.
“My opponent is good everywhere … but she’s not outstanding anywhere,” Miller said, mentioning her own improvements since coming to Spokane. “Where I need to take (Petrović), I’m going to get a finish.”
Little looks forward to the world seeing this side of Miller.
“She has a little more speed than the average girl, little more athleticism, and her jiu-jitsu background, too,” Little said. “I don’t think there’s a better jiu-jitsu practitioner in the game.”
Both of Miller’s coaches are content with the results from camp and look forward to the show on Saturday.
“There’s no doubt she belongs in the UFC, and more than just belongs in the UFC – I think that she can be up there in the top 10, top five in the world,” Lemery said. “It just has to start now.”
Miller opens UFC Des Moines: Sandhagen vs. Figueirdo at 4 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Wells Fargo Arena. The card will be streamed live on ESPN+.