By Frank Curreri, FOX5Vegas.com

LAS VEGAS— If Jason "Mayhem" Miller ever decides to change nicknames, the moniker "Crazy" seems entirely appropriate.

That is not to say that the 27-year-old mixed martial artist is actually out of his mind -- he just seems hell-bent on trying to convince the rest of the world that he is.

“I’m going to hit Las Vegas harder than a crack epidemic,” Miller predicted while talking with FOX5Vegas.com recently about his Saturday debut in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) event at the Hard Rock casino and hotel.

Miller, who also lives in Las Vegas, is pitted against fellow 185-pounder Hiromitsu Miura of Japan. “I don’t know how to say his name,” Miller proclaimed, “but I know how to punch him.”

Miller, who owns 18 wins and five losses as a pro, hasn’t seen much videotape of Miura’s past fights. He has heard Miura’s best skills revolve around his Muay Thai and judo techniques. Miller, a Team Quest prodigy, says he is unphased by his opponent’s pedigree; Miller happens to train on a regular basis with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, a frighteningly explosive puncher and world-class judo player.

“That large Africa man (Sokoudjou) probably punches my face more than anybody,” Miller proudly asserted, “and I love it because that’s exactly what my opponent will try to do.”

Saying you enjoy being hit by one of the sport’s hardest hitters might be construed as a lie to some, sadistic to others. Well, there is reason to believe Miller is telling the truth.

Behind the young punk façade and slight frame is a fearless warrior, someone whose most memorable fight to many fans came when he met Georges St. Pierre in the UFC Octagon two years ago. St. Pierre won by a landslide. The Canadian slammed Miller at will. He pounded him with punches from the standing position. He repeatedly got on top of Miller, reigning down on him with punishing blows for much of their three-round affair.

With a future UFC champion bringing that kind of heat and pain, a lot of fighters have tapped, gassed and looked for any which way out. Not Miller. Though bleeding from his mouth, he smiled mischievously, and smiled some more as the punishment mounted. Miller kept fighting hard and lost a decision that boosted his stock far more than any other performance in his career, even though he owns wins over Denis Kang, Faliniko Vitale and Robbie Lawler.

The moniker “Mayhem” fits him fine, especially when one considers his admitted past run-ins with the law, though he believes alcohol played a role in those transgressions and claims he has been sober for almost a year.

But “crazy” is a common first impression Miller can make on his audience. He has that certain something, that evil grin, which sort of reminds you of the character Jack Nicholson played in the epic horror movie, “The Shining.” And yet, despite reveling in his villain role and buffoonery, a lot of people who know Miller also consider him likable, funny and bright. He’s banking that, come Saturday, fans at the Hard Rock will not soon forget him after he goes for broke against Miura.

“They’re going to remember that I went all-out the whole time,” Miller said. “And like Michael Jackson in the 1980s, I don’t stop ‘til I get enough.”

Though Miller is one of the bigger names on Saturday’s card, the main event will feature 205-pound Doug “Rhino” Marshall defending his title against Justin McElfresh and at least six other undercard matchups.