Fifth time's the charm: Angela Hill 'just getting started' in UFC after winning first split decision

LAS VEGAS – It finally happened.

Angela Hill went to the judges’ scorecards at UFC Fight Night 251 – and won a split decision over Ketlen Souza. An uncanny knack for ending up in close and debated decisions, Hill (18-14 MMA, 13-14 UFC) was 0-4 in split decisions prior to Saturday’s fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“Last time I got a split decision win it wasn’t in the UFC, so seven split decisions later I finally got one,” Hill told reporters including MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference.

Saturday marked her 13th promotional victory in her 27th appearance.

The all-time leader for appearances for a woman in UFC history, and the second all-time winningest woman in promotion history, Hill says the party is just getting started.

“I’m excited, man,” Hill said. “I’m just getting started. I’ve still got like 10 years left. I told y’all I’m going to get the belt when I’m 50. So if it happens a little sooner, that’ll be great – if I’m not getting beat up by the young talent coming in, if I’m able to beat them. The big thing is I need to put a streak together. Every time I go in there I get a little closer to doing that. It’s hard.

“Everyone in there is a monster. Everyone who makes it to the UFC, they’re the best of wherever they came from, whatever gym they came from. I’m treating it like Groundhog Day. I’m Bill Murray. Every day I mess up and I wake up again and try to do it a little better and eventually move onto the next thing.”

As for what she wants next, Hill said a gripe she has with the UFC rankings has her eager to square off with Gillian Robertson (15-8 MMA, 12-6 UFC).

“I was pretty frustrated that Gillian Robertson got ranked ahead of me after the last two fights,” Hill said. “I think she lost to (Tabatha) Ricci and then against Luana (Santos) which were my same last two fights. But I got the sub. The striker got the sub. So I was like, ‘What’s that about?’ She got ranked ahead of me. I’d love to fight her. I think she’s booked to fight someone. So the winner of that fight, or the winner vs. (Amanda) Lemos vs. (Iasmin) Lucindo, Xiaonan Yan, if she’s not too busy I’ll fight her. I’ll fight anyone. Obviously, I want to climb.”