Tabatha Ricci battled her way to a unanimous decision victory over Angela Hill in the co-main event of tonight’s UFC On ESPN 62 event.
Round One:
One-two for Hill. Ricci responds by punching her way into the clinch against the cage. Hill battling to stay upright, then turns into her and gets away.
Ricci with a nice flurry of punches that backs Hill up for a moment. Back to striking range, then Ricci drives into the clinch again against the cage. Hill turns in to her , but Ricci gets the position back. Ricci with a few punches then exits.
Rici with a right hand. She lands it again and is now back into the clinch against the cage. Hill breaking free, but not before eating a knee to the body.
Superman punch from Ricci and tries to clinch up again, but isn’t able to this time.
They trade single strikes for a moment. Hill trying to stand her ground here under this relentless pressure. Body punch from Hill. Ricci back into the clinch. Hill gets free.
Leg kick from Ricci. Now body punches from her. Hill with a left hand but Ricci replies with a hook. Hill clinching up now and they jockey for position against the cage. Ricci wins that battle for now. She tries to set up a throw, but not quite finding the position yet. Out of the clinch in the final seconds of the round but neither lands cleanly.
Round Two:
Jab for Hill. She lands a right hand. Ricci into the clinch and lands a trip to get Hill down for the first time in the fight.
Hill upkicking and then trying to work a triangle choke off her back, but doesn’t have it for now. Hill gets back upright, but still finds herself in the clinch.
Back to striking range they go. Hill with a front kick to the body. Now she times a right hand. Ricci with a flurry.
Another flurry of punches from Ricci. Punch lands for Hill. Inside leg kick from Ricci. They go back into the clinch. Knee lands for Hill to the body before they separate.
Right hand for Ricci thhen into the clinch again. Gruelling battle here. Hill breaks away landing a body kick.
Knee to the body for Ricci. She connects on a one-two. Push kick from Hill. Right hanad for Ricci. Body punch for Hill.
Hill feints for a takedown. Left hand for Ricci. leg kick from Hill. Hard punch from Ricci, but thhen Hill responds with a punch of her own.
Well taken single-leg for RIcci. She ends up in half-guard. Hill threatens a kimura and uses that to stand back up as the round ends.
Round Three:
Right hands land for Hill to start the third round. Ricci circles. Short flurry from her. left hand for Hill. Body kick for Ricci.
One-two for Ricci and a leg kick, but then Hill goes for a takedown. Ricci responds by going right into a takedown of her own, but Hill kicks her off and stands.
Ricci back into the clinch against the cage now with 3.30mins to go. A few knees to the leg from Ricci. Hill with a quick knee to the body.
Back to striking range they go. A couple of jabs land for Ricci. Hill with a few missed punches. Ricci punching into the clinch. Hill breaks free and lands an uppercut.
Body punch for Hill. Now a body punch from Ricci. Short flurry from Hill. Leg kick for Ricci. Front kick from Hill. Ricci tries a takedown, but Hill sprawls on that and then gets back up.
Right hand for Hill. Jabs for Ricci. Punch for Ricci and a spinning elbow from Hill that misses. One-two for Ricci. Clubbing overhand from Hill. Hill lands a right hand and an uppercut.
Ricci back into the clinch against the cage. Hill with a knee and moves away. She lands a kick. They continue to look for strikes as this frenetic fight comes to a conclusion.
Decision:
Credit to both fighters for managing to maintain that crazy pace for the full three rounds. It was Ricci who really set the tempo from the start though and her mix of constant pressure, clinch-work and striking earns her a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
