For Michelle Waterson and Angela Hill there are no halves.
It is common for UFC fights to last three rounds to the main event, but as Waterson and Hill a week ago after a positive COVID-19 test in which Glover Teixeira from a matchup of the main event against Thiago Santos, the two of them, from the Race went, got a promotion Strawweight veterans had no problem sticking another 10 minutes on their punch cards.
Now they will close UFC Vegas 10 on Saturday, with Waterson headlining a UFC show for the third time in her career and Hill being the first black American to do so. The importance of the moment is not lost for Hill, who shared what this achievement means in the face of the current social unrest in North America.
Beyond other far-reaching implications, Waterson needs a win to avoid a three-way skid that keeps her dreams of becoming a “mother champion” from ever becoming a reality, and Hill needs to prove she’s doing more than that is a fighter who is ready to take a booking in the blink of an eye.
In another main card action, the all-action lightweights Ottman Azaitar and Khama Worthy collide at the co-main event, the flyweights Roxanne Modafferi and Andrea Lee will meet in a rematch from December 2014. Veteran Ed Herman takes on Mike Rodriguez in a light heavyweight bout. Lightweight Bobby Green makes a quick turn to fight Alan Patrick and featherweight Billy Quarantillo looks to win 3-0 in the UFC when he fights Kyle Nelson.
What: UFC Vegas 10
Where: UFC APEX in Las Vegas
When: Saturday September 12th. The six-fight preliminary map begins at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN +, and the six-fight main map starts at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN + as well.
Angela Hill versus Michelle Waterson
It is time for “Overkill” to finally secure this signature win.
It’s one thing for Angela Hill to have a reputation as a busy, hard-working fighter, but if she is to go down the path of a legitimate contender it must start with a victory over a name like Michelle Waterson. Hill certainly has the tools to make this happen. It has a deep gas tank and the kind of volume that goes into making decisions. That didn’t work out for her in her previous fight with Claudia Gadelha, but not due to a lack of effort on the part of Hill.
Waterson’s flashy game was all about patience and precision that could serve her well against an aggressive hill. Its grappling advantage cannot be ignored either. Hill’s strong defense is put to the test as Waterson drags the fight to the fence. Only a few dominant Bodyshapes are needed by Waterson to wear Hill down and change the entire complexion of the fight.
Hill has shown a ton of improvements in her second run at the UFC, and despite her recent loss to split decisions, it seems like she will peak in 2020 as a potential competitor. Look for her to land the harder blows and score more consistently along the way to a decision victory.
Selection: hill
Ottman Azaitar versus Khama Worthy
This one should be great.
In Ottman Azaitar, the UFC has found a perspective whose only goal is to turn someone off when they step into the cage. There is almost no position where Azaitar is not trying to land a haymaker. From a distance, up close, at a clinch, if you are in range he will throw something at you. Heavy. So far, this strategy has paid off in the form of eight knockouts in 12 wins.
This attitude makes him the best possible opponent for Khama Worthy and also an extremely dangerous one. Worthy doesn’t shy away from the fact that, like Azaitar, his goal is to finish and entertain, not to win decisions. He invites Azaitar to step into a phone booth with him and drop bombs. He can regret it.
While I think Worthy should be careful, he’s more than capable of landing his own knockout punch or catching Azaitar with an assist, and I like his tricky move a little more than Azaitar’s more conventional approach. Even so, Azaitar’s hand speed is scary and can make all the difference.
This is a coin toss, but I’ll pick Worthy for its experience advantage.
Selection: Worthy
Roxanne Modafferi versus Andrea Lee
Although it has been almost six years since their first fight, this rematch between Roxanne Modafferi and Andrea Lee should be similar.
Of course, Lee made as much progress on the ground as Modafferi on his feet, but I don’t know if they’ve changed enough to make the result different. Modafferi won’t hesitate to hit Lee punch by punch, and she can now inflict serious damage in a variety of ways, unlike before when her stand-up consisted of mostly simple punch combinations.
Lee is comfortable grappling and her athleticism allows for some impressive escapes and passes on the mat. She won’t want to stay with Modafferi for long, because “The Happy Warrior” just knows better when it comes to throws, sweeps and submissions. Modafferi also has more opportunities to win this fight which is why I like their chances.
Should this be primarily a stand-up fight, I still prefer Modafferi, if only slightly. She’s really developed a mean track in the cage over the past few years that goes against her nickname, and if she hits Lee all the way then the fight is her own.
Selection: Modafferi
Ed Herman versus Mike Rodriguez
Ed Herman finally has a fight (fingers crossed). It may not be one he wants to remember when all is said and done.
The 39 year old Ultimate fighter 3 Veteran has had some good moments at 205 pounds; In fact, he’s currently on his first winning streak in over eight years. He’s not a true light heavyweight, however, and neither is Mike Rodriguez. Herman will give up a lot of size and strength on the night of the fight.
Perhaps Herman is returning to his wrestling roots for a win over Rodriguez, which he hasn’t been so fond of since his promotion from middleweight division. Rather, he used his wrestling to spread out and beat himself up. If that’s the case, Rodriguez will welcome a war on the feet. Aside from questionable defensive skills, Rodriguez is a major threat in stand-up and could knock Herman down at range or in a clinch.
Look for “slow” to continue defying its nickname and completing another first-round goal.
Selection: Rodriguez
Bobby Green versus Alan Patrick
Watch out for the easy division, Bobby Green is walking again.
Yes, we’ve been there before with “King”, a gifted fighter who has been taking one step forward and two steps back for years. And yes, he has anything but an easy matchup in the long and fiery Alan Patrick. But when Green is on, he can keep up with the best at 155 pounds.
Patrick brings an unorthodox strike and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to this matchup, but if history suggests it, he’ll keep it going. Expect him to come out the goals hot, shoot Green from a distance, and only start fighting if there is a clear opening to do so.
In my eyes, that’s exactly the kind of approach that shows Green’s strengths. “Nuguette” has simply not shown that he can consistently string strikes in a meaningful way without being countered. You can’t afford too many mistakes against a Green boxer.
Green by decision.
Selection: green
Kyle Nelson versus Billy Quarantillo
After Billy Quarantillo survived Spike Carlyle in his last game, he gets another quick starter in Kyle Nelson. The 29-year-old Canadian isn’t the wild man Carlyle is, but he’s a good heavy-handed wrestler who could shock Quarantillo at the start of the fight.
It’s hard not to like Quarantillo’s odds, however. He is well rounded with a special talent for scrambling that pays off against Nelson. Both fighters are modern mixed martial artists who show equal enthusiasm whether standing and trading or fighting for the ground position.
Quarantillo has the advantage in terms of speed and sportiness. Even if Nelson brings the fight to him, he is able to quickly turn things around. Nelson’s opening volley will be wiped out by Quarantillo’s argument and after a highly competitive round or two, Quarantillo will score a victory by submission.
Selection: Quarantillo
Preparations
Julia Avila def. Sijara Eubanks
Roosevelt Roberts def. Kevin Croom
Alexander Romanov def. Roque Martinez
Interlace Turner def. Brok Weaver
Bryan Barberena def. Anthony Ivy
Sabina Mazo def. Justine Kish
