With Gabriel Benitez out, Alexander Hernandez steps in to face Jim Miller at UFC Fight Night 219

Alexander Hernandez will return to lightweight for a short-notice bout at UFC Fight Night 219.

Gabriel Benitez has been forced out of his Feb. 18 matchup against Jim Miller (35-16 MMA, 24-15 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and Hernandez (13-6 MMA, 5-5 UFC) will step in on less than two weeks’ notice.

The UFC announced the fight Thursday. Cageside Press was first to report the news.

Hernandez is coming off back-to-back stoppage losses to Renato Moicano and most recently Billy Quarantillo at UFC 282 this past December. Prior to that, he scored a first-round knockout of Mike Breeden in October 2021.

Winner of his three in a row by finish, Miller is enjoying his best octagon run in years. At UFC 276 in July, he became the sole owner of the record for most wins in the promotion’s history when he submitted Donald Cerrone in the second round.

With the change, the current UFC Fight Night 219 lineup includes:

• Erin Blanchfield vs. Taila Santos
• Philipe Lins vs. Ovince Saint Preux
• Zac Pauga vs. Jordan Wright
• Alexander Hernandez vs. Jim Miller
• William Knight vs. Marcin Prachnio
• Evan Elder vs. Nazim Sadykhov
• Clayton Carpenter vs. Juancamilo Ronderos
• Abus Magomedov vs. Gerald Meerschaert
• Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Lina Lansberg
• A.J. Fletcher vs. Themba Takura Gorimbo
• Josh Parisian vs. Jamal Pogues

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 219.