Padilla submits Haqparast at UFC Sacramento, calls out record-holder Jim Miller

Chris Padilla moved to 5-0-1 inside the UFC on Saturday, submitting Nasrat Haqparast with an arm-triangle choke at 4:59 of the third round on the UFC Sacramento undercard. The finish improved his overall record to 18-6-1, and he wasted no time identifying his next target.

“I need Jim Miller, man,” Padilla told Heidi Androl in his post-fight interview. “He’s been in the game for a really long time. I watched him growing up as a little maggot. I want fights that are going to give me that little tingle. I got to live my dream, and here I am. The new generation is coming up and I’m here to slaughter every one of them.”

The callout carries genuine narrative weight. Miller, 42, debuted in the UFC back in 2008 and holds the record for the most wins in promotion history with 28. He is coming off a submission victory over Jared Gordon in May, his 47th appearance in the Octagon — three short of his stated goal of 50 UFC fights.

For Padilla, the matchup represents more than a career milestone. Having watched Miller compete for the better part of two decades, a fight with the lightweight veteran would close a personal loop while also serving as a credible measuring stick for a prospect who has yet to taste defeat or a draw in six UFC outings.

Whether the UFC moves to book the fight remains to be seen, but Miller’s proximity to his 50-fight landmark and Padilla’s momentum make the pairing a logical one on paper. Miller would bring the experience and name value; Padilla would bring the hunger of a fighter who believes his generation is ready to take over.