UFC Live on Versus 5: Jim Miller vs. Ben Henderson Head-to-Toe Breakdown

There will be a much clearer picture at the top of the lightweight divison after Jim Miller and Ben Henderson settle some things on Sunday night n UFC Live on Versus 5.

These two exciting fighters are set to lock it up for the number one contender spot in the division, and both have taken quite different paths to get here. Miller has scratched and clawed his way up almost exclusively in the UFC promotion, while Henderson made a smooth climb up in another promotion to helicopter in to the UFC with a solid name for himself.

These will be a very close fight to predict, but here is my head to toe breakdown.

Stand Up

Both of these fighters are very good precision strikers but neither carries particular dynamite in their hands. Miller has only three knockouts in his career and Henderson only two, so I see this one going the distance with each man having to mix up all their tools on the feet to secure points to victory.

I give Miller a slight power edge on Henderson but I do see Henderson as a bit more elusive to hit and this will be the them of the night as MIller will have to work hard to cut off the ring and land cumilitive damage on Smooth.

In the end, I see MIller using his savy to corner Henderson to certain spots where the two will have to exchange, and I see MIller doing more effective damage with his hands.

Advantage: Miller

Wrestling

In what is seemingly the most important base disciplinbe in the UFC I see wrestling and ring control being a large factor in the outcome of this fight as i believe this is the key to Henderson taking a victory.

Henderson is a fantastic scrambler and seems to be one of the toughest guys to get a hold of once the distance is closed in the cage. He seems gumby like in his escapes and he never seems to stop moving due to his off th ehook cardio. Miller will be in tough to get a handle on this and will want to simply stuff Henderson on his take downs, and use his wrestling to secure one of his own for his tiop assault.

I see Henderson being a bit better at this discipline in terms of defense, and Jim will have to be mindful not to waste energy on this aspect.

Advantage: Henderson

Grappling and Jiu Jitsu

The grappling part of the fight I see Henderson with a slight edge based on his scrambling and elusiveness but the jiu jitsu I see as a draw. Both these men have a high number of submission wins and gainst some very tough opponents.

I believe any submission control or attempts will be set up by landing a solid punch and Miller will be the first to do that in ths fight. He has fought the higher level competition and I see him also trainng with a better stable of fighters who are on another level and that will be the difference in the end.

Advantage: Miller

Strength and Conditioning

I see these two fighters sawing off the battle of strength and conditioning but I can't help but say that one will take over the other eventually.

MIller is the stronger, more ugly fighter and he brings a scowl and strength with him that Henderson may not have seen before. But if Miller does not capitalize on the strength advantage early, I see Smooth's conditioning taking over with him being stronger than Miller the longer thsi fight goes on.

Miller's conditioning has never been questioned, but I see Henderson having a slightly higher ability for pace in this fight.

Advantage: Even

Intangibles: Hunger and Destiny

I believe that Jim Miller is a more complete and accomplished fighter of these two men. Henderson is great yes, but he is young and fresh and he has some things to go through and learn before he moves past a guy like Jim Miller.

When all else is equal, I do believe in mantal toughness, hunger and destiny as being the factors that tip the scale one way or another and the fight god's have been telling me for a long tim now that this is Jim Miller's time for his chance at the top not Ben Henderson's.

Henderson has the potential that his time may come but I see Miller a step ahead right now.

Advantage: Miller

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Feature Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA (also a correspondent for MMACanada.net).

Catch him on Twitter @wakafightermma .