‘Mayhem’ Apologizes for Role in Post-Fight Scrum

Jason “Mayhem” Miller, the man who touched off an embarrassing post-fight brawl at Strikeforce “Nashville” on Saturday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., has issued a formal apology for his role in the melee via his personal Web site at www.mayhemmiller.com.

Miller entered the cage on Saturday while CBS was interviewing Jake Shields in wake of his unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson in the main event. The former Icon Sport champion interrupted the interview and asked Shields for a rematch, setting off a series of events that led to an ugly scene inside the cage and perhaps jeopardizing the promotion’s place on network television.

“I would like to formally apologize to CBS, Strikeforce and all fans of mixed martial arts for my role in the events following the Strikeforce: Nashville event,” Miller wrote on his site. “In retrospect, my timing could not have been worse to ask for my rematch with Jake, and I take full responsibility for entering the cage and setting off a chain of events that cast a dark shadow on the sport.”

Miller, who hosts “Bully Beatdown” on MTV, defeated Tim Stout by first-round technical knockout on the undercard. The charismatic 29-year-old dropped a five-round unanimous decision to Shields in November but nearly submitted the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with a rear-naked choke. Miller, who expects to meet former EliteXC titleholder Robbie Lawler in June, seemed to understand the gravity of his actions and how the lasting impact they could have on the sport.

“I’ve been a fighter and a fan of MMA for over 12 years and would never do anything to intentionally tarnish the sport I’ve given my life to,” he wrote. “In the excitement of the moment, I let my emotions run high and made a bad choice that resulted in a debacle. For that, I sincerely apologize.”