The strawweight battle between Angela Hill and Amanda Lemos might have been flying under the radar ahead of UFC Vegas 45.
By the end of the night, it most certainly wasn’t. Lemos vs. Hill stole the show at the final UFC event of 2021. It also earned the pair Fight of the Night honors in what turned out to a thrilling back-and-forth battle.
Hill found herself knocked down early care of a Lemos kick during the main card showdown. Just when it looked as if Hill’s goose was cooked, she managed to turn the tables and get on top. From there on out, it was a hotly contested affair, with Lemos having the edge in power but Hill throwing with more speed and volume.
Going to the judges, Lemos was awarded the split decision win. But both ladies will walk away with an extra $50,000 for their efforts.
Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC Vegas 45 went to Cub Swanson and Melissa Gatto. Frankly, the night was full of potential bonus winners. Justin Tafa almost certainly would have been in the running thanks to his head kick finish of Harry Hunsucker. But Tafa, in a heavyweight first, had missed weight for the fight, taking himself out of the running.
Instead, Swanson earned a bonus for dismantling Darren Elkins within a round. “Killer” Cub lit up “The Damage” with pinpoint strikes before finishing things off with a spinning wheel kick. Gatto, meanwhile, finished off Sijara Eubanks, setting up the end with a body kick.
