UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs Hill Predictions, Odds & Picks

• UFC strawweights Michelle Waterson and Angela Hill main event the UFC Fight Night card on Saturday September 12, live from Las Vegas
• The card was originally set to be headlined by the returning Thiago Santos taking on Glover Teixeira in the light heavyweight division
• This was one of the most challenging cards for the UFC as many fighters have tested positive for COVID-19 over the past month, including Glover Teixeira

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UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs Hill – Picks & Predictions

Michelle Waterson vs Angela Hill – Women’s Strawweight Division

Angela Hill -134

Ottman Azaitar vs Khama Worthy – Lightweight Division

Khama Worthy -137

Roxanne Modafferi vs Andrea Lee – Women’s Flyweight Division

Roxanne Modafferi +230

Ed Herman vs Mike Rodriguez – Light Heavyweight Division

Mike Rodriguez -265

Billy Quarantillo vs Kyle Nelson – Featherweight Division

Kyle Nelson +165

The UFC has announced its plans to return to Abu Dhabi and Fight Island in late September and it could not come at a better time as the positive COVID-19 tests keep piling up for the UFC roster.

Thiago Santos, who had been out for a year with knee injuries following his impressive loss to light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, was set to make his long-awaited return to the cage this Saturday night against Glover Teixeira. Unfortunately for Santos (and all MMA fans), Teixeira tested positive for coronavirus. Many fights on this card are also rescheduled bouts from previous positive tests.

The fight between Michelle Waterson vs Angela Hill will now serve as the main event, with the winner moving ever closer to title contention.

How to Watch UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs Hill

Editor’s Picks

• UFC Weight Classes: Ultimate Guide and Infographic
• Ultimate UFC Betting Guide

Michelle Waterson vs Angela Hill – Women’s Strawweight division

Michelle “Karate Hottie” Waterson (17-8)

After a stretch that saw her win three decision victories in a row over Cortney Casey, Felice Herrig, and Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Michelle Waterson has hit a wall, losing her last two fights in a row. Last October, Waterson took on the former strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk and came up short – losing the bout via unanimous decision. Earlier this year, Waterson battled against Carla Esparza at UFC 249. She would once again lose via the judges’ scorecards – this time by split-decision.

At 34-years-old, the Colorado native stands at 5 ft. 3 in. tall and has a reach of 62 inches. As her nickname suggests, she is known for her karate prowess, holding a black belt in American freestyle karate. The southpaw fighter also holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Rafael Freitas. The former atomweight trains out of New Mexico with the Jackson Wink MMA Academy and is currently ranked as the eighth-best strawweight in the division.

Angela “Overkill” Hill (12-8)

Angela Hill seems to be finding her stride after having a rough start to her UFC career. After trading wins and losses for much of her early career, Hill recently found her footing which led to a three-fight winning streak over the likes of Ariane Carnelossi, Hannah Cifers, and Loma Lookboonmee – two of the wins coming via TKO. Her last fight took place just months ago this past May where she fought Claudia Gadelha. Unfortunately for Hill, Gadelha would snap the three-fight winning streak – barely. Hill lost the bout by a razor-thin split-decision.

One year older than Waterson, Hill stands at an equal 5 ft. 3 in. tall but will have a two-inch reach advantage over her opponent Saturday night. The American-born fighter trains with Alliance MMA and has been fighting professionally since 2014. She is a former Invicta FC strawweight champion as well as a former World Kickboxing Association champion. She is currently ranked in the UFC strawweight division as number thirteen.

Ottman Azaitar vs Khama Worthy – Lightweight division

Ottman “Bulldozer” Azaitar (12-0)

Undefeated at 12-0, Ottman Azaitar will be making just his second appearance under the UFC banner this Saturday night. Debuting last September at UFC 242, Azaitar faced off against Teemu Packalen. He stopped Packalen in the very first round via KO due to an unbelievable overhand right. Prior to the UFC, Azaitar was fighting for the Brave CF promotion.

The German-born fighter stands at 5 ft. 8 in. tall and has a reach of 71 inches. The 30-year-old is known mostly for his muay thai striking style and he trains with the Jupps Fight Team. He is yet to be ranked by the promotion.

Khama “The Deathstar” Worthy (16-6)

Like his opponent, Khama Worthy is also a newcomer to the UFC, having just two fights under his belt in the promotion (both of them wins by finish. He debuted for the UFC last August, defeating Devonte Smith in the first round by a left hook knockout. He followed that performance by taking on Luis Pena last May and defeated him via guillotine choke in the third round of their bout.

The American Fighter will stand three inches taller than his opponent Saturday night and will also bring with him a three-inch reach advantage. Worthy trains out of Pennsylvania with the Pittsburgh Academy and is currently riding a seven-fight professional win streak.

Roxanne Modafferi vs Andrea Hill – Women’s Flyweight division

Roxanne “The Happy Warrior” Modafferi (24-17)

Since joining the UFC in 2017 (debuting on the Ultimate Fighter finale), Roxanne Modafferi has gone just 3-4 during her time with the organization. No winning streaks, no losing streaks, just consistently trading wins and losses. The biggest win of her career came earlier this year at UFC 246 when she won a unanimous decision over rising star Maycee Barber. Barber did injure her leg in the fight, but it was still a big win for Modafferi. Unfortunately, Modafferi couldn’t capitalize on it and would lose her next and most recent fight to Lauren Murphy via unanimous decision this past June.

The 37-year-old fighter stands at 5 ft. 7 in. tall and has a reach of 69 inches. Training with Syndicate MMA out of Las Vegas, the American-born fighter holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Mike Pyle and Evan Dunham as well as a brown belt in judo. She has been fighting professionally since 2003 and is currently ranked as the seventh-best women’s flyweight. She is the biggest betting underdog on the main card.

Andrea “KGB” Lee (11-4)

Andrea Lee has had a much stronger career inside the octagon than Roxanne Modafferi but they ultimately find themselves in the same place: coming off of a loss to Lauren Murphy. After putting together a seven-fight winning streak with three of those wins occurring in the UFC, Lee would suffer her first loss in the organization to Joanne Calderwood via split-decision last September at UFC 242. Her most recent fight (the aforementioned bout with Murphy) took place at UFC 247 this past February and Lee was on the losing end of yet another split-decision.

Born in Texas, the 31-year-old stands equal to her opponent at 5 ft. 7 in. and has a reach of 69.5 inches. Training under head coach Tim Credeur at the Gladiators Academy, Lee is a decorated fighter, holding a black belt in Kyokushin karate, brown belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo, as well as a Kru ranking in muay Thai. She is currently ranked as the UFC’s ninth-best women’s flyweight.

Ed Herman vs. Mike Rodriguez – Light heavyweight division

Ed “Short Fuse” Herman (25-14, 1 no-contest)

Originally set to face Da Un Jung on May 2 before the global shutdowns due to COVID-19, Ed Herman now finds himself taking on his fourth replacement opponent after a bout with Jung, Gerald Meerschaert, and John Allan Arte all fell through over the span over the past several months.

After suffering three losses in a row, Herman has bounced back as of late, winning his last two back-to-back. He defeated Patrick Cummins via TKO last May and subsequently scrapped it out with Khadis Ibragimov last November. Herman would win the latter fight via unanimous decision.

Standing at 6 ft. 2 in. tall, Ed Herman has a reach of 77 inches. Born in Washington state, Herman trains out of Oregon with American Top Team Portland. Fighting professionally since 2002, Herman holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Fabiano Scherner. The 39-year-old is currently unranked in the light heavyweight division.

Mike “Slow” Rodriguez (11-4, 1 no-contest)

A member of the Dana White Contender Series alum, Mike Rodriguez debuted in the UFC in 2018 in a losing effort against Devin Clark. He has gone 2-2 with one no-contest during his time under the UFC banner with his most recent fight taking place just last month. He fought Marcin Prachnio and defeated him via KO in the very first round of the contest.

Rodriguez will stand one-inch taller than Ed Herman Saturday night and will have a significant five-inch reach advantage in the fight. Training with Lauzon MMA out of his hometown of Boston, Rodriguez has been fighting since 2014 and has a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is also currently unranked in the division.

Billy Quarantillo vs. Kyle Nelson – Featherweight division

Billy Quarantillo (14-2)

After defeating Kamuela Kirk via TKO on the Contender Series, Billy Quarantillo went on to win his UFC debut last December against Jacob Kilburn, whom he choked out with a triangle choke in the second round. In his most recent fight, Quarantillo defeated the outspoken Spike Carlyle via unanimous decision just this past May.

At 31-years-old, the American-born fighter stands at 5 ft. 11 in. tall and has a reach of 70 inches. He fights out of Tampa Bay, Florida, and is currently riding a professional winning streak of seven fights straight.

Kyle “The Monster” Nelson (13-3)

Kyle Nelson debuted for the UFC in late 2018 and would ultimately lose his first two fights back-to-back for the promotion. However, his last fight (taking place last September) would see Kyle Nelson earn his first UFC win. At a Fight Night event in Mexico City, Nelson defeated Polo Reyes via TKO in the first round.

Nelson will stand at an equal 5 ft. 11 in. but will have a four-inch reach advantage over his opponent this Saturday night. The 29-year-old Canadian fighter trains out of Stoney Creek, Ontario with the House of Champion MMA gym. Active in MMA since 2012, Nelson is a former winner of the Elite 1 MMA championship.