Jim Miller expects to “overwhelm” Gabriel Benitez at UFC Vegas 84, has an “inclination” of who he will fight at UFC 300

Jim Miller always wanted to fight one more time before UFC 300.

For years, Miller has been vocal that he wants to compete at UFC 300, given he has competed at both UFC 100 and 200. However, many were surprised when Miller was booked to fight at UFC Vegas 84 on Jan. 13, exactly three months before the historic event.

“I was asking to fight in like November, I was asking to fight on the MSG card. I said I’d even fight in December. Things just didn’t work out,” Miller said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I broke my thumb on the second punch in that last fight, so I had a little bit of time off, but I could have fought in November or December. There are a ton of fighters on contracts so it isn’t easy these days. If I didn’t fight from June 3 until April 13 that is way too long of a layoff for me. I would like to be fighting three times a year, it’s better for me.”

Although Jim Miller is taking a chance by fighting three months before UFC 300, the veteran says there is as much of a chance he gets injured training for UFC 300 than by fighting on Saturday night. He also believes fighting on UFC 300 isn’t as big of a deal as he originally thought, as it won’t be his retirement fight.

“The fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter. I put it out years ago that I wanted to be on UFC 300 when I was still dealing with lime, or just coming out of my fight with lime disease. In the last two years, I have figured things out a little bit, competing as an aging athlete in a young man’s sport, it’s not easy,” Miller said.

“I put it out there to be on 300 so that would be my retirement, but that won’t be my last one. It would be awesome to be on 100, 200, 300, I’m happy to be on that card, I’m going to fight and then I have three months to the day that I will be fighting again and that will be awesome. It’s not that event that I thought it was going to be a couple of years, at least today. It would be cool to be on it, but not I’ll be on 301,” Miller continued.

When Jim Miller does make the walk to the Octagon on Saturday at UFC Vegas 84, he will take on Gabriel Benitez who he was booked to face last February.

Given Miller already has a training camp to game plan for him, he says not much changes this time around. Instead, Miller says the plan is to get Gabriel Benitez to the ground and pick up a stoppage win on the mat.

“He’s a good tough striker, he throws a lot of kicks. I feel like I will have a good advantage on the ground, but it is a matter of getting it there,” Miller said. “We will see how it goes, as long as it’s on the feet, it will be a tough battle, he’s not the type to shy away from mixing it up. We are going to get in there and put on a show, and if I follow through with my opportunity to take it to the mat, I will overwhelm him on the ground and secure a finish.”

Should Jim Miller get the finish at UFC Vegas 84 against Gabriel Benitez, he says he will go right back into training camp at UFC 300. Although no fight has been offered to him, Miller says after talking to the UFC brass he has a good idea of who the opponent will be.

“I’m not focused on it yet. I know there are a few people who have asked to fight me on 300, even before Dana said I was going to be on it. To me, there are a lot of tough guys out there that I haven’t fought yet. I’m okay going up to 170 as well, I’m here to fight, I’m here to put on a show and it really doesn’t matter either way. I’m sure it will be a good matchup. I have an inclination of who they will offer but I don’t want to put it out there,” Miller concluded.