LAS VEGAS – After notching the first submission win of her career, Angela Hill is as confident as ever, and believes she is ready for one more run for the UFC strawweight title.
At UFC Fight Night 241, Hill (17-13 MMA, 12-13 UFC) wrapped up Luana Pinheiro with a Performance of the Night-winning guillotine choke, forcing her opponent to tap in Round 2. The self-dubbed “Grappler Ange” has arrived, and will likely enter the promotion’s top 10, which means big things opportunities are ahead.
The finish of Pinheiro (11-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) itself was a surprise for Hill, which speaks to her continued growth in the training room, and her ability to adapt to what occurs inside the octagon.
“I didn’t think she was going to shoot on me, so it wasn’t even really in the gameplan,” Hill told reporters during a post-fight news conference. “Like, we didn’t even work on it backstage or anything, but it’s something that I’ve been hitting a lot in the gym. My guillotines, my transitions from the defended guillotines, all that, has been really developing in the gym. For me to be able to sinch that, get it in there, that felt real good.”
After her fight, Hill turned her attention to what may come next. With 25 UFC fights, she has already faced several top names in her division. One name, in particular, stood out above the rest: former champion Jessica Andrade, whom she met in her return to the UFC in 2017. Hill believes getting that Fight of the Night decision loss back would put her in a prime position for a title shot.
“I just think it’s going to be a banger. The first one was,” Hill said. “We’ve both gotten better since then. We’ve both won and lost some big fights. So I feel like this could be another one that gets me straight to that title shot if I win. A win over Andrade has gotten a lot of people a title shot, and I believe I can do it.
“I even had a moment in that fight where I dropped her. I think anyone who pressures me, it helps me find those openings and it helps me get that power. I take some of their power and use it against them, you know? So, I feel like it would be a fun fight. One that’s like, I have a lot of material to prepare for, but also I could show just where I’ve gotten better. I think, hey, I’m a grappler now. I can do it all, so we’ll see how she approaches ‘Grappler Ange.'”
Whether it’s time to face another new name or get revenge against past opponents, Hill is up for it all. The 39-year-old strawweight striker is eager to get back to action, as she believes she has hit a new stride now that she has begun focusing on the mental side of the game for the first time in her career.
“I’m confident that I belong,” Hill said. “I’m confident that I deserve that run, and my age ain’t nothing but a number. I’m getting more ferocious, I’m more mature in my fight IQ, and I’m not slowing down. It’s not like I can’t hang with the kids, I’m beating up the kids, so give me some more.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 241.
