For Gabriel Benitez, having a former champion in his corner has him ready for UFC Fight Night 234.
Benitez will take on veteran Jim Miller this Saturday night as part of the main card live on ESPN+. The event features Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker in a light heavyweight rematch.
Helping prepare Benitez and planning on being there Saturday night from the Apex in Las Vegas is none other than Cain Velasquez. The former heavyweight champion is someone Benitez refers to as a “big brother.”
“Cain was the champ before, and he has a lot of experience,” Benitez said (thanks to MMA Junkie for the quotes). “But the good thing, he knows how to share the experience.
“A lot of fighters, they’re super good. Or coaches, they’re super good but they don’t know how to (work). I’m glad and I feel like right now, Cain is like a big brother for everyone else.
“I’m grateful to have him in my corner again.”
Benitez is 23-11 overall and has won seven of his 13 UFC appearances overall. He will be facing his toughest challenge to date in Miller, a 25-win Octagon veteran with a record of 36-17 overall.
Velasquez, of course, is regarded as one of the best heavyweights ever. He toppled Brock Lesnar and was involved in some wars with Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum. In 2022, though, he was charged with attempted murder after engaging in a car chase with a man alleged to have molested his 4-year-old son.
He served eight months before being released late last year.
UFC Fight Night 234 Preview
This marks the first event of the new year for the promotion. Ankalaev, a former title challenger, and Walker met before at UFC 294.
Back at that time, the bout was halted early after an illegal knee rendered Walker unable to continue.
Matheus Nicolau will meet Manel Kape, Ricky Simon tangles with Mario Bautista and Phil Hawes rounds out the main card vs. Brunno Ferreira.
On the prelims, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski fights Waldo Corles-Acosta in the featured attraction.
