Ultimate Fighting Championship mainstay Jim Miller still has a chance to go for his 25th win in the Octagon next week.
Per a UFC press release on Thursday, Miller (35-16, 1 NC) has received a replacement opponent for UFC Fight Night 219. The longtime vet will now meet Alexander Hernandez (13-6) at lightweight, with the latter coming back up from a one-off appearance at featherweight in December. The two will square off on the main card that will be held inside of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Feb. 18.
The 39-year-old Miller is currently riding a three-fight finish streak, knocking out Erick Gonzalez and Nikolas Motta before tapping Donald Cerrone with a guillotine choke in his last outing. The win streak is his longest since getting his hand raised three fights in a row in 2016. The roster staple that has been part of the organization since 2009 holds the most appearances (40), most wins (24) and is tied with Cerrone for the second-most finishes (16) in company history.
On the heels of a two-stoppage skid, Hernandez moves back to 155 pounds against the grizzled vet. The 2022 campaign for “The Great Ape” went poorly, as Renato Carneiro snared him in a rear-naked choke, and an ill-fated trip to featherweight saw him get knocked out by Billy Quarantillo. Before the two losses in a row, Hernandez had alternated victories and defeats in his last seven outings, with his most notable win likely a decision over Olivier Aubin-Mercier in 2018 that has aged exceptionally well.
UFC Fight Night 219 goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Feb. 18, and flyweights take center stage as former title challenger Taila Santos takes on the surging Erin Blanchfield in a possible championship eliminator. The co-headliner sees Jordan Wright vs. Zac Pauga in the light heavyweight division, while the remainder of the main card is rounded out by a heavyweight clash pitting Josh Parisian against Jamal Pogues, and a 205-pound scrap as William Knight throws down with Marcin Prachnio.
More must-reads: