Former Invicta FC strawweight champ Angela Hill’s Muay Thai proved too much for newcomer Ariane Carnelossi at UFC Mexico City.
Brazil’s Ariane Carnelossi was making her UFC debut on short notice in place of the suspended Istela Nunes at UFC Mexico City. And she had a tough assignment in front of her, as former Invicta FC champ and Ultimate Fighter alum Angela Hill was her scheduled opponent. The strawweight scrap took the place of Carnelossi’s expected debut, which had been set against Talita Santos at UFC Uruguay in August, until Santos was forced off that card due to injury.
Carnelossi had not lost a fight since her pro debut in 2014 against fellow UFC fighter Amanda Ribas. Angela Hill, for her part, was coming in off a loss to China’s Yan Xiaonan.
Round 1
‘Overkill’ and Carnelossi got off to a fast start, with Carnelossi bringing the fight and Hill answering right back. Hill would eventually power Carnelossi to the fence, firing knee after knee, and landing a right off the break. Carnelossi was cut open after that sequence, but she continued to walk forward as they moved back to center. Another knee, however, came up the middle from Hill. Carnelossi attacked the leg when she could, but Hill was more active, moving better, and was landing more. She popped Carnelossi with an uppercut in the final ten seconds, and certainly did enough to take the round.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Hill
Round 2
The second started fast and scrappy again, Carnelossi no doubt feeling a bit of urgency. Hill soon had her tied up by the fence, landing an elbow off the break. Carnelossi’s leg attacks weren’t having the desired effect, but a right hand did connect for the Brazilian with just over three minutes remaining in the round. She’d later go to the body with a kick, and was starting to come on at the midway mark. Hill had slowed a step, which made it harder to get out of the way of Carnelossi’s heavy strikes. Hill’s elbows and knees remained her most dangerous weapons, however, and a right hand connected at the end of a combo. She finished the round clinching, firing knees, and adding a kick.
Cageside Press scored the round 10-9 for Hill
Round 3
Carnelossi headed into the third likely in need of a finish. While she turned up the pressure, she also ate a knee for her troubles early. Up against the fence moments later, a Hill elbow split Carnelossi up over the eye, quickly resulting in a bloody mess. The doctor came in to check on the injury, and waved it off, giving Angela Hill the TKO win!
Official Decision: Angela Hill def. Ariane Carnelossi by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 1:56
