Michelle Waterson has a simple game plan for Angela Hill: “It’s not going to be strategic, I’m going in there to fight”

By Cole Shelton - September 8, 2020

Michelle Waterson is on a two-fight losing streak but her confidence hasn’t wavered one bit.

Michelle Waterson

In the main event of UFC Vegas 10 this Saturday, Waterson is set to battle the rising contender in Angela Hill. It is a very intriguing matchup but one that was delayed from August 22. So, for Waterson, she is glad Hill was okay with the delay as she is looking forward to sharing the Octagon with her.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”637439″ player=”20625″ title=”Just Scrap Radio Ep. 9 (w Waterson Mix Modafferi & Nelson)” duration=”3450″ description=”In the ninth episode of Just Scrap Radio, host Cole Shelton chats with Michelle Waterson, Patrick Mix, Roxanne Modafferi and Kyle Nelson.” uploaddate=”2020-09-08 00:36:51″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/15717/thumb/637439_t_1599525601.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/15717/sd/637439.mp4″”]

“Absolutely as I’ve been looking forward to fighting Angela and I know she has been looking forward to fighting me. It is good we can get this fight going,” Waterson said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I think Angela has been climbing the ranks really well and is really hungry. She has been on a tear and I’m really interested to put my skills up against her. It will be really fun.”

For Michelle Waterson, she is eager to headline another card as it is not new for her. She headlined UFC Tampa last October against Joanna Jedrzejczyk losing a decision. She then dropped a very close split decision to Carla Esparza at UFC 249. That loss has made “The Karate Hottie” change how she fights.

“That is what happens when you leave it to the judges. Everyone perceives fights different, so what I take from it is it is a fight. We are going in there to inflict the most amount of damage,” Waterson said. “I don’t think she did enough damage to secure the win. But, I can’t hate the player you have to hate the game. Carla is very good at finding ways to win fights so I congratulate her on that. Coming off that loss, I was in a weird place and didn’t know if I should go back to the drawing board.

“The truth is, it is a steady rise for me and I’m still evolving and still getting better. All the girls I’ve fought in the UFC has been in the top-10 outside of my UFC debut,” she continued. “I know I am getting better and that is all I can ask for as a martial artist is to get better. Coming into this fight, it’s not going to be strategic, I’m going in there to fight. I’m going to inflict the most amount of damage.”

Entering this fight, Michelle Waterson is the betting underdog but it is nothing new to her. She has not been favored to win a fight since she fought Paige VanZant in 2016, so for a stretch of seven straight fights, she has been the betting underdog. On Saturday, that will continue to be the case but Waterson knows she has the skillset to beat Hill and hopes she can get another stoppage win.

“Angela is a volume striker and when she gets in the flow of things, her striking is crisp,” she said. “I have better footwork and a bit more creativity so we will see come September 12.

“Finishes are some of those things you can’t force,” Waterson added. “I’ve been fighting top-10 girls since I’ve been in the UFC. Once you hit that caliber of fighters it is harder to get finishes.”

Michelle Waterson believes Angela Hill will try to keep it on the feet standing. But, if for some reason she shoots, The Karate Hottie says she can easily get a submission win.

“I wish she will shoot because I will submit her so fast. She will try and stand and bang with me, it will be fun. I am known for my striking but I have a lot of submissions on my record and my wrestling is very strong,” Waterson said. “Carla was only able to take me down once in the last 30 seconds in the first round. I’m one of the more well-rounded fighters in the division.”

For Michelle Waterson, she believes this is the perfect fight to get back into the win column and start to build momentum again. She also thinks a win her puts her back into talks of being one or two wins away from the belt.

“I think I just have to put together a couple of good wins, some finishes or good performances and I’ll be right back in the talks,” she concluded.

Who do you think will win, Michelle Waterson or Angela Hill?