Throughout 2020, the UFC has been hit with some cancellations due to COVID-19. However, one that stings really bad is losing the main event for tomorrow night’s fight night. Thiago Santos and Glover Teixiera were due to battle in a title eliminator.
However, after Teixiera tested positive, the UFC pushed the fight back. Now, the UFC has bumped up the co-main event featuring Michelle Waterson (17-8) and Angela Hill (12-8). While not the biggest fight on paper, it’s still expected to deliver a solid fight.
Michelle Waterson vs Angela Hill
This main event pairs two of the top 13 fighters in the women’s strawweight division against each other. For The Karate Hottie, she’s looking to break her current two fight losing streak in the UFC. Both losses came against former champions.
Between 2018 and 2019, Michelle Waterson went on a run in the UFC. She won three consecutive fights including one against former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Following that winning streak, she got a shot against the former champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Waterson came up short in that fight as she was outclassed on the feet by the former champion. Then she suffered a split decision loss to Carla Esparza at UFC 249. I personally scored the fight for Waterson. Nevertheless, she will look to break her losing streak.
Angela Hill has really turned a corner over the last 12 months. A year ago today, Hill’s record was 9-7, but she went on a three fight winning streak before fighting Claudia Gadelha back in May. Many people thought she should have won the fight, but she lost a split decision.
To me, this is really a matchup of top ten strawweights. Hill is better than the 13th best in the division. Waterson has put together a solid UFC career so far, but she’s always been fighting above her natural weight class since the promotion doesn’t have atomweight.
Waterson is headlining her third UFC event, and while I think she’s very talented, I think this is a tough matchup. Hill has been doing a very good job of using her lengthy punches in her recent fights. A strategy that should really help her in this one score some points.
I expect both of these ladies to have their moments in this fight. For Waterson, she cannot sit back too much. She needs to be active with kicks to score as much as she can. I just think Hill is ready to take that next step in the strawweight division.
Prediction: Angela Hill by Unanimous Decision
The Rest of UFC Vegas 10
While not the sexiest card the UFC has put together, there are definitely some solid fights up and down the card. I’m anxious to watch the fight between top ten flyweights, Roxanne Modafferi (24-17) and Andrea Lee (11-4). The co-main with Khama Worthy (16-6) and undefeated Ottman Azaitar (12-0) should be fantastic.
The prelims also have some solid action including Roosevelt Roberts (10-2) taking on Matt Frevola (8-1-1). Those two have had some back and forth. Again, not the biggest card in terms of name recognition, but the UFC is putting forth a card that should deliver on action.