Issue 071
January 2011
FO pays homage to MMA’s first supertrainer – and its latest star commentator
The product of a classically tough childhood in the farming and industrial heartland of America, Pat Miletich was born in 1968 as the youngest of five children to an impossibly hardworking mother and an abusive father. Undersized but apparently completely indifferent to pain, Miletich took regular beatings from his brothers, wrestled, played football and became a legendary local street fighter in high school and college. In his 20s, Miletich looked after his mother (suffering with heart problems) and scratched a living from a series of blue-collar jobs – his father died during Pat’s second year of college. Finding an outlet for his aggression, he earned a black belt in Okinawan karate and learned some Muay Thai. Miletich lost his first ‘official’ fight (his street brawls not included, even if one left him with the permanent record of a large set of false teeth), in an amateur kickboxing tournament, lasting the distance despite breaking his arm in the second round. Discovering Brazilian jiu-jitsu in late 1992, Miletich went to a Renzo Gracie seminar (the two would fight some 14 years later as legends in an International Fighting League (IFL) ring with Gracie winning by guillotine) and began intently studying the art of grappling – mostly thanks to BJJ instructional video tapes.
Taking the next logical step, Miletich entered his first ‘no holds barred’ tournament in October 1995, returning home with three submission wins and the $5,000 winner-takes-all prize money. Rattling off a dozen more victories inside 18 months, chiefly in his home state of Iowa, and neighboring Illinois, Miletich was building a sizeable local following while beating up much bigger men. Continually sharpening his skills, plus dabbling in boxing and toughman contests, Miletich was ready for larger things. Matched up with Matt Hume (later a highly respected manager, trainer and Pride FC official) on the fourth Extreme Fighting pay-per-view event, Miletich lost for the first time in 15 fights thanks to a broken nose-inspired doctor’s stoppage. He recalled later: “I think I was ranked fourth in the world at the time, fourth or fifth, and he was ranked number one. I was pretty overwhelmed by the cameras and stuff. You know, I had a deer-in-the-headlights type of thing.” Matchmaker John Peretti immediately spoke of setting up a rematch but the chaotic promotion quickly went under. When Peretti joined the UFC, he booked Miletich for the first-ever ‘lightweight’ (170lb limit) tournament, at UFC 16 in March 1998. The 30-year-old Miletich won both his fights but failed to electrify the fans with his methodical style. But the win still meant a great deal to ‘The Croatian Sensation’. “The first time fighting in a big show was an emotional high, winning the four-man tournament in the UFC was pretty big,” said Miletich later. “I just remember signing my first autograph after I won my fight. I had sweat and tears falling down on the paper I was signing.”
Seven months later, Miletich defeated Mikey Burnett for the newly created 170lb lightweight title in an atrocious fight stuffed with clinching and stalling. Widely and somewhat justifiably tagged as a tactical competitor, he was still racking up wins in the Octagon – successfully defending the belt four times. His UFC 26 dismantling of a young John Alessio was particularly memorable and, as an agreeable bonus, his protégés Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver and Tyrone Roberts all won their fights on the show. Tutoring the likes of Hughes, Pulver and Jeremy Horn at his famously no-nonsense gym in the tiny industrial city of Bettendorf, Iowa, Miletich was fast gaining a reputation as one of the sport’s elite trainers. Over the next few years, Miletich Fighting Systems (MFS) would produce four UFC champions – Miletich himself, Hall of Fame welterweight legend Hughes, inaugural 155lb king Pulver and two-time heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia. No other camp at the time (and very few today) could claim such a success rate.
Back in the cage and with new UFC owners Zuffa in charge, all weight classes were renamed. Miletich lost his rechristened welterweight title to Carlos Newton at UFC 31 in May 2001 – in a fight he’d been controlling until getting caught with a headlock choke. Some seven weeks later, a weight-drained Miletich was back in action. He KO’d old foe Shonie Carter at UFC 32. But hopes of a rematch with Newton were dashed when his top student, Hughes, was handed the title shot. Miletich trained and cornered his star student at UFC 34, helping him win the championship. MFS was now welcoming ever more hopefuls, disciples and established fighters. The man himself moved up to middleweight, where he was ambushed and beaten up at UFC 36 by Matt Lindland. Struggling with injuries, and an increasingly strained relationship with the UFC, Miletich concentrated on coaching. When the IFL debuted in 2006, Miletich was one of the biggest names involved – guiding his Quad Cities Silverbacks to a pair of the team-based promotion’s world championships. As fatally ill-conceived as the IFL was, such results were a clear demonstration of Miletich’s abilities as a coach and motivator. “There are so many different ways to read an athlete and to get them to respond,” Miletich told Fighters Only back in issue 31. “For some it takes yelling, some being their friend – and some need a kick in the ass. It’s a fine balancing act to be honest.” The IFL also gave the first real exposure to Miletich’s newer crop of fighters such as Ben Rothwell, LC Davis, Rory Markham and Ryan McGivern.
Over the last few years, other teams and coaches – Greg Jackson’s camp in Alburquerque, the San Jose-based AKA and Xtreme Couture – have taken much of the limelight from Miletich’s team, and many of his original stars have moved on. But he remains an important, relevant trainer, and one who is currently excelling in a completely new field. Few may watch them, but Showtime’s Strikeforce Challengers events are greatly improved by Miletich’s smooth on-air delivery and his knack for explaining the action, skills and strategies in the cage as a member of the commentary team. “It’s by no means an easy job,” says Miletich. “Getting in the cage and fighting in front of the fans is easier than talking to them about the event.” The MFS founder has also shined on ESPN’s MMA Live, backing up unpopular opinions with adroit analysis. Almost universally praised in his still new-ish role, Miletich – fighter, pioneer, champion, trainer, and now commentator – has done more than enough to earn his status as an MMA icon.
CAREER SNAPSHOT
1997
Goes 15-0 inside 16 months before suffering his first loss to Matt Hume at Extreme Challenge 4. Miletich remembers it as his toughest fight ever.
1998
Wins the UFC lightweight (170lb) tournament at UFC 16 by besting respected grappler Chris Brennan by submission in the final. Later in the year he fights UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn to a draw.
2001
Eventually loses the rechristened UFC lightweight belt to Carlos Newton at UFC 31 despite picking up three ‘L’s outside the then-struggling organization by TKO, submission and decision.
2006
Faces off with Renzo Gracie in an IFL coach superfight. Gracie ensnares Miletich in a standing guillotine, finally getting the tap after holding the position for over a minute.
2008
Comes out of pseudo retirement to fight journeyman Thomas Denny on a low key Adrenaline MMA event. He wins by knockout in the second round.
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