Not only is Angela Hill staying busy, but she’s doing so at a historic pace. And as a result, the San Diego-based UFC fighter is starting to make real waves in the women’s strawweight division.
Hill (12-7 MMA, 7-7 UFC) defeated Lora Lookboonmee on Saturday on the preliminary card of UFC on ESPN+ 26 in Auckland, New Zealand, taking a unanimous decision at Spark Arena on scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
That marked Hill’s sixth fight in 11 months, besting by days the UFC record for fastest six-fight span previously held by Neal Magny.
“I think a lot of people say they want to fight, but after a few years of being back in the UFC, I feel like (matchmaker Mick Maynard) is calling people, they’re saying no, and I’m the only one saying yes. I’m ready to go. I fight every day. This is my 9-to-5 job, training every day.”
Lookboonmee (4-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), the only Thailand-born fighter on the UFC roster, is a well respected kickboxer, but Hill’s constant movement made her a difficult target to hit. In the first round, Lookboonmee did land nice kicks to the legs and body, but Hill eventually closed the distance and started landing in close. A late takedown by Hill also helped her cause.
In the second, Hill continued to get the best of things in the standup. Lookboonmee scored a takedown, but Hill worked for submission, first with an armbar and then an attempt at a triangle, before finally escaping and getting back to the feet.
Hill fought at a smart pace in the third round, as well: She didn’t rush into anything that might lead to a mistake, nor did she sit on her lead, as she landed enough to continue accumulating damage on her foe.
Hill, who defeated Hannah Cifers on Jan. 25, accepted the fight on short notice when Looboonmee’s original opponent, Hannah Goldy, had to drop out. It was her 14th octagon outing, the most in UFC women’s strawweight divisional history. She’s 4-2 in her six-fight stretch, with three wins in a row and four out of her past seven fights.
Lookboonmee had a two-fight winning streak snapped as she dropped a decision for the first time in her career.
