Angela Hill is never afraid to speak her mind.
One look at the former Invicta FC champion’s Twitter feed will tell you everything you need to know that she’s opinionated and has no problem speaking her mind on any number of subjects.
A few months ago, Hill made a lot of noise after Mackenzie Dern won her second fight in the UFC against Amanda Cooper and then just days later she was ranked amongst the top 15 fighters in the strawweight division.
The only problem was Dern failed to make weight for her fight after coming in a whopping seven pounds over the mark for the strawweight limit. Of course there’s little doubt that Dern is one of the most promising prospects on the entire roster but there’s also no denying that her two wins inside the Octagon have come against opponents with a combined 2-6 record in the UFC.
Well this is a big fat slap in the face. I’ve fought top competition, beat #14 and the rankings finally grace me with #15 ranking, just to get bumped by a fucking Flyweight. pic.twitter.com/ZYlP5Ogs6w
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) May 17, 2018
A week after Hill took issue with the ranking, the voting panel removed Dern from the top 15.
“It’s obvious that it’s just a popularity contest,” Hill told MMAWeekly about the UFC rankings. “There’s not much you can do about it. I feel like it happens in every sport where certain athletes are getting more sponsorships or more endorsements just because they are more popular. The rankings, they like to act like it’s some official thing and I actually do think usually the top five of the rankings are pretty agreeable but in any weight class, it’s just wild like ‘who could we put at No. 6 that’s going to make them seem like more of a contender so we can give them that co-main event spot and sell more Reebok’.
“It’s a popularity contest. The only reason I care about it is because I want to break into that top five ranking, the respectable ranking. That’s the only reason I would even care about them because I want to be in the conversation, I want to be one of those people who can get the title fight and become the champion.”
While it might seem like Hill was somehow angling for a fight with Dern after taking her to task for missing weight and then being rewarded with a top 15 ranking, the reality is the former “Ultimate Fighter” hopeful isn’t concerned with that matchup at all.
Y’all ready for this? I know I am! Don’t miss me in action this weekend on FS1! #UFCLincoln #UFCFightNight135 pic.twitter.com/8g1KcOVkSV
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) August 21, 2018
In fact, Hill says with a win over No. 11 ranked Cortney Case on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night in Lincoln, Nebraska, she’s moving onto bigger and better things beyond what a win over Dern could do for her career.
“If I was just getting into the UFC, [Mackenzie] Dern would be a really great matchup cause then I could really make my mark and make a statement with that fight,” Hill explained. “But right now, it doesn’t help me. Right now, I already have the fans. I already have respect from the UFC and the MMA community. I don’t need to make a statement. I just need to win against these girls who are actually good or more skilled, who could possibly make a case to fight for the title.
TRENDING > Andrea Lee Releases First Statement After Warrant Issued for Husband’s Arrest
“If I beat those girls, that puts me where I want to be. I’m not interested in fighting someone who can’t make weight.”
Hill isn’t looking past Casey whatsoever but she definitely has ideas about what could come next with a win this weekend.
With hopes of one day climbing into the title picture at 115 pounds, Hill only wants fights that will put her closer and closer to that No. 1 ranking and nothing else really interests her.
“I’m only interested in getting the title shot,” Hill said. “An easy win isn’t worth it to me. I want to fight the best. I think that’s what sets me apart from the other strawweight fighters. I want to face the best fighters, I want to beat them decisively and I want to move up.”
