With a potential slot on UFC 300 hanging in the balance, Jim Miller needed a solid performance at UFC Fight Night 234, and preferably one that left him relatively unscathed.
Miller (37-17 MMA, 26-16 UFC) found himself in an intense battle with fellow lightweight Gabriel Benitez through nearly two and a half rounds. However, Miller found a way to end the co-main bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas by submission, tapping Benitez (23-12 MMA, 7-7 UFC) with a face crank at 3:25 of Round 3.
Miller was on the attack early with crisp combinations and digging leg kicks. Seemingly every strike Benitez landed prompted Miller to return fire even harder. A pair of brief clinch battles were won by Miller, connecting with nice knees to the body.
Benitez looked to build momentum quickly in Round 2, but Miller answered immediately, making for intense exchanges. Switching things up, Miller completed a double leg to take the fight to the ground. Hard short elbows from Miller scored, but Benitez kept him honest with a slick armbar attempt. Miller escaped, scrambled, and controlled the back until the horn.
Both fighters sported bruises and swelling to begin the final frame. Heavy punches and kicks were traded for the first half of the round. Miller once again scored a clean takedown, and found his way to Benitez’s back. This time, Miller got his arm fully under the neck, and forced the tap for his 12th UFC submission win.
ANOTHER ONE for @JimMiller_155 👏
He takes the all-time UFC wins record to 26 after that submission victory! #UFCVegas84 pic.twitter.com/Rv8l3WSWd7
— UFC (@ufc) January 14, 2024
“I’ve got three months to heal up and stay in shape and stay ready,” Miller said during his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “Now it’s just find an opponent at this point. There’s a couple of names that have been thrown out that intrigued me a bit, one sitting at the desk, Paul Felder. I think that would be a fun fight.”
Felder hung up his gloves in 2020 and has since transitioned to the commentary desk, but has recently teased a potential return to action.
With the win, Miller makes it two in a row following a first-round stoppage of Jesse Butler in June. Now the 40-year-old turns his attention to preparing for the promotion’s upcoming milestone event, UFC 300. UFC CEO Dana White previously stated Miller would be placed on the card to be the only fighter to compete on all three century mark cards.
Benitez falls to .500 in his UFC career. He entered on the heels of a first-round finish of Charlie Ontiveros in August 2022, which ended a two-fight skid.
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 234 results include:
- Jim Miller def. Gabriel Benitez via submission (face crank) – Round 3, 3:25
- Mario Bautista def. Ricky Simon via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Brunno Ferreira def. Phil Hawes via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 4:55
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Andrei Arlovski via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Preston Parsons def. Matthew Semelsberger via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Marcus McGhee def. Gaston Bolanos via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 3:29
- Farid Basharat def. Taylor Lapilus via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Jean Silva def. Westin Wilson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:12
- Nikolas Motta def. Tom Nolan via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:03
- Joshua Van def. Felipe Bunes via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:31
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 234.
