Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Claudia Gadelha and Angela Hill faced each other in a women’s Strawweight clash tonight (Sat., May 16, 2020) at UFC on ESPN 8, which took place inside Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Following a fun fight, Gadelha’s hand was raised.
Gadelha fired a double leg takedown in the first 30 seconds that was stuffed, but she landed on the break. Another right hand connected for the Brazilian. Hill landed a good knee up the middle. Gadelha landed a jab and left hook. Gadelha ripped a right hand to the body, but Hill landed over-the-top with a right of her own. Good jab scored for Gadelha. Gadelha’s jab landed with good consistency. Gadelha wrapped up a body lock and jammed her foe into the fence. It took some effort, but Gadelha landed a clinch takedown into side control. Gadelha moved into knee on belly and landed some good punches. Hill escaped to her feet right at the bell.
Hill attacked the body to start the second. Gadelha kicked the mid-section and landed a shifting combination. Hill landed a combo. Good cross from the Brazilian, then a jab. Hill dropped her opponent with a right hand out of nowhere! Hill then let Gadelha up, who scored with a left hook. Hill stuffed a single leg takedown. Solid right hand landed for Hill once more. Hard two-piece scored for the Brazilian, who then drove her way into the clinch once again. Hill reversed her foe into the fence and landed a knee. Back in the center, the two traded hooks. Big right hand connected for Gadelha. Both ladies cracked each other in an exchange. Hill ripped the mid-section with hooks, ate a body-head combo. Hill scored with a good flurry near the bell.
Gadelha faked a takedown and landed a left hook to urgently start the third. Left hook landed for Gadelha after a missed elbow. Good left hook scored for Hill. Hard low kick from the Brazilian. Right hand and left hook connected for Gadelha, who then ate an overhand. Slick uppercut scored for Hill. Another low kick scored for Gadelha, who ate a jab afterward. The two traded left hooks. Step-in knee connected for Hill, then a jab. Good overhand from “Overkill.” Hard left hook knocked Hill back. Gadelha wrapped up the clinch with a minute remaining. Big elbow over the top from Gadelha. The close round finished with an exchange to the bell.
Unlike the bout before it, this was a pretty fair split-decision. Both women took one round clearly, and then the third was real scrap. Hill seemed to have volume on her side, but Gadelha did land some of the heavier shots in the final frame.
Result: Claudia Gadelha defeats Angela Hill via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
For complete UFC on ESPN 8 results and play-by-play coverage click here.