Damon Jackson expecting a war against Jim Miller at UFC 309: “It’s nice to get a big name”

Damon Jackson knew he couldn’t make the cut to featherweight next.

Jackson is set to move up to lightweight to face Jim Miller at UFC 309. After Jackson said he killed himself in the last two weight cuts, he knew he needed to move up to lightweight.

“Oh, it feels so good. I feel so healthy, it’s crazy how my life has changed,” Jackson said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “Right when my last fight was over, when I made weight, I told my manager kind of half-ass, that from here on out I wanted to fight at ’55. As soon as he missed and I made weight, and I killed myself to make weight, no one knows this but in my fight against Alex Hernadnez, I passed out and busted my eye open the day before the fight. I passed out from the weight cut. It’s 30lbs for me. It’s not healthy.”

When Jackson told the UFC he would be moving up to lightweight, he wasn’t sure who he would fight. However, when he got the offer to fight Jim Miller, he jumped at the chance.

“He texted me Jim Miller, 11/16. Within 30 seconds I said yes, and then the next morning I got the contract,” Jackson said. “In my last two fights, the guys missed weight and I had to go back to the Apex. It’s nice to get a big name like Miller and to fight at MSG, I’m happy.”

Damon Jackson expecting a war at UFC 309

Against Jim Miller, Damon Jackson knows the veteran is as durable as they come. With that, Jackson is expecting it to be a war but is confident he will get his hand raised.

“There is going to be a lot of punches and kicks thrown,” Jackson said. “He’s no joke on the ground, I’m no joke on the ground so I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see the ground until later on. It’s going to be a fight, I’m excited.”

If Jackson does get the win, he isn’t sure who he would fight next. But, he says the goal is to no longer fight at the Apex again.

“Who the hell knows? I’m just focused on Jim and this fight. But, hopefully, I keep myself out of the Apex with a big win,” Jackson concluded.