Former title challenger Claudia Gadelha 17-4, 2 KOs, 7 SUBs will meet action fighter Angela Hill 12-7, 5 KOs at UFC Fight Night 172 on Saturday, May 16 at the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The card airs live starting at 9pm ET.
Claudia Gadelha might end up being the best strawweight to never hold the title. Five years ago, she was the only legitimate challenge for then-champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Today, she’s still trying to figure out how to put all her tools together. This Saturday, the Brazilian gets another chance to show us she can still be a contender.
Standing across the cage will be Angela Hill, one of the division’s most reliable action fighters. Despite a mediocre record, the Alliance MMA product has steadily evolved since graduating from TUF Season 20 as an MMA rookie. A tough career has seen her face many opponents she wasn’t quite ready for - Tecia Torres and Rose Namajunas were her first UFC opponents - but Hill has quietly won three in a row coming into the matchup.
This is an important fight for both women. Gadelha has the name and talent, so it only takes a few wins for her to be inserted into the title discussion. However, she could also be relegated into a stepping stone if she loses to an unranked fighter like Hill. This is an opportunity for the 35-year old Hill to notch a signature win inside the octagon and climb inside the top 10 for the first time - it’d be a nice arc for “Overkill”.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your best online betting options. Live UFC betting is available during the fight if you want to bet on real-time line updates!
Angela Hill +150
Claudia Gadelha -190
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -285 / +205
Significant Striking Stats
Strikes landed per minute: Gadelha 3.15 / Hill 5.97
Striking accuracy: Gadelha 42% / Hill 50%
Strikes absorbed per minute: Gadelha 4.38 / Hill 5.28
Striking defense: Gadelha 58% / Hill 64%
Grappling Stats
Takedowns per 15 minutes: Gadelha 3.34 / Hill 0.46
Takedown accuracy: Gadelha 41% / Hill 41%
Takedown defense: Gadelha 58% / Hill 73%
Submissions per 15 minutes: Gadelha 0.81 / Hill 0.09
Hill was arguably the rawest prospect on TUF Season 20 - all athleticism and grit with zero technique. Her first few fights were wild, but she was predictably controlled by more skilled fighters. Against grapplers, all she could do was defend decisions. While she did better in the standup, a lack of depth was obvious.
These days, Hill looks much, much better. While her fights aren’t pretty, she’s no longer just wild energy. The biggest difference is having a skill to rely on - in this case it’s a clinch game that best maximizes her strength and athleticism.
Gadelha is still one of the most talented athletes at 115 pounds, but we’re not sure she ever puts it all together. Her grappling is elite, but her gas tank has consistently failed her. The worst part is that Gadelha is well aware that she must conserve her energy, to the point where she’s almost too tentative.
UFC Odds Pick: Hill to win at +150
We can talk ourselves into a bet on Hill at this price. There will be some scary moments early on, but Hill is extremely tough to take down and very well conditioned. That should give her enough ammunition to really drain Gadelha’s stamina and start pulling away on the feet.
