Angela Hill: From US Nationals To The UFC!

The WKA US 2025 National Championship Tournament is buzzing with excitement, and one name that keeps coming up is Angela Hill. Known for her explosive style, relentless drive, and inspiring journey, Hill’s rise in the world of Muay Thai all the way to the UFC is nothing short of remarkable.

Angela Hill’s Journey Into Combat Sports

When Angela Hill first stepped into the world of Muay Thai fighting, she didn’t imagine it would lead her to national tournaments or championship titles. In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience, Hill shared a candid memory of how her career began:

“My coach asked if I wanted to do WKA's and have a fight. I was nervous, but he believed in me. At that time, another girl from my gym, in my same weight class, was also competing. He thought it would be fun. All the other girls in the tournament had been training for years, but I decided to go for it.”

Hill’s determination paid off. Despite being a newcomer, she stunned the crowd by defeating two competitors and winning the The Tournament. That moment marked the start of a journey that would take her through 14 consecutive wins as an amateur Muay Thai fighter, a record that cemented her reputation as a rising star.

Professional Debut and UFC Glory

In 2014 Angela became the first black American woman signed by the UFC via TUF 20. A difficult road faced her as she was matched up against high level MMA talent including Tecia Torres, and Rose Namajunas.

In 2015 she was released from the UFC and signed with Invicta FC where she made quite a splash with back-to-back finishes and a performance of the night bonus. Showing that hard work and determination pay off she returned to the UFC in 2017 to face Jessica Andrade. As of this writing Hill remains an active UFC fighter displaying her high level striking talent.

Why Angela Hill’s Story Inspires Fighters Everywhere

Hill’s story resonates with anyone who has ever doubted themselves. She didn’t start with years of training or a plan to become a professional fighter. Instead, she saw Muay Thai as something fun — a challenge to test her limits.

“I was scared, but I also wasn’t putting all my eggs in that basket. I didn’t think anything was going to come from doing Muay Thai. It was just fun at the time,” Hill explained during her interview.

Her success proves that confidence, perseverance, and taking risks can open doors to opportunities that once seemed out of reach; that no setback is final, even if you do not get the result you want, failure will only arrive if you give up. Her career is a testament to this, fighting at the absolute top echelon, and remaining there.

Angela Hill's Major Accomplishments.

• First Black American woman signed by the UFC (joined in 2014 via TUF 20)
• First African-American woman to headline a UFC event, as main event vs. Michelle Waterson in September 2020 
• Most bouts in UFC Women’s Strawweight division history (26 UFC strawweight fights)
• Second most fights in UFC women’s history overall (27 total), behind only Jéssica Andrade
• Most wins in UFC Women’s Strawweight division (12 wins) 
• Most total fight time in both UFC Women’s Strawweight (≈ 6 h 12 m) and all UFC women (6 h 27 m) 
• Most significant strikes landed in UFC Women’s Strawweight (≈ 2,037) and UFC women’s history (≈ 2,122), ranking third overall in UFC history
• Most decision wins (9), most unanimous decision wins (8), and most decision bouts (21) in Strawweight division history
• Invicta FC Strawweight Champion: won the title at Invicta FC 17 in May 2016 and defended it once at Invicta FC 20 in November 2016

Hill’s story is more than just about winning—it’s about resilience, growth, and the passion to keep improving.

Want more updates on the WKA Tournaments?
Stay tuned on WKA International for event schedules, fighter profiles, and exclusive interviews.

👉Follow Angela Hill on Instagram: @angieoverkill

🎙️ Watch her podcast interview: Click here to watch