UFC Fight Night 177: Waterson vs. Hill | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Dana Black
- May 21
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 177: Waterson vs. Hill took place on September 12, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 10, one week after Overeem vs. Sakai and the second of the promotion’s four September events. The card was headlined by a women’s strawweight main event between Michelle Waterson and Angela Hill — the first time in UFC history that a bout involving an African-American woman headlined an event.
Waterson took the split decision after a closely contested five-round battle. The event also produced one of the biggest upsets of the pandemic era: Kevin Croom, the card’s heaviest underdog, submitted Roosevelt Roberts in 31 seconds on his UFC debut. Ottman Azaitar demolished Khama Worthy for another bonus. And a controversial refereeing call in the Herman-Rodriguez light heavyweight fight had Dana White publicly questioning his own official.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, September 12, 2020
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 10)
👥 Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors — COVID-19 pandemic)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 35)
🏆 Main Event: Michelle Waterson vs. Angela Hill — Women’s Strawweight (5 rounds)
✅ Result: Michelle Waterson def. Angela Hill via Decision (Split) (Round 5, 5:00)
🥇 Champion: Title not on the line
The Build-Up
The original headliner for FN 177 was a light heavyweight bout between former title challengers Thiago Santos and Glover Teixeira. On September 3 — just nine days before fight night — Teixeira tested positive for COVID-19 and the main event was cancelled. Teixeira vs. Santos was subsequently rescheduled for UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana on October 3. The replacement main event was a five-round women’s strawweight match between Michelle Waterson and Angela Hill.
The Waterson-Hill pairing made history before the first bell: it marked the first time a UFC event was headlined by a bout involving an African-American woman. The co-main between Ottman Azaitar and Khama Worthy promised fireworks in the lightweight division. Kevin Croom stepped in on late notice to replace Matt Frevola (injury) opposite Roosevelt Roberts in a prelim — as the card’s longest underdog, few expected what was about to happen.
Main Event: Waterson vs. Hill
Michelle Waterson defeated Angela Hill by split decision after a closely contested five-round strawweight war. The pair went back-and-forth across all 25 minutes with each woman finding success in different phases of the fight. Hill was effective with her striking combinations and had moments of genuine control, while Waterson worked the takedowns and showed her grappling credentials throughout.
The decision was split and contested — both women received the Fight of the Night bonus for the quality and competitiveness of the bout. Waterson’s grappling and championship composure in the final rounds proved decisive with the judges, but Hill had her legitimate case. The performance extended Waterson’s reputation as one of the toughest and most experienced strawweights in the division.
Co-Main Event: Azaitar vs. Worthy
Ottman Azaitar demolished Khama Worthy in a lightweight co-main that showcased his raw striking power and aggression. Azaitar put on a dominant finish to earn a Performance of the Night bonus. The Swiss-German-Moroccan fighter had been building a reputation as one of the most explosive newcomers at 155 lbs, and this performance confirmed that trajectory.
Full Results
Main Card
Michelle Waterson def. Angela Hill — Decision (Split) (Round 5, 5:00) — Fight of the Night
Ottman Azaitar def. Khama Worthy — TKO (Punches) — Performance of the Night
Roxanne Modafferi def. Andrea Lee — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Ed Herman def. Mike Rodriguez — Submission (Round 3) — Controversial referee pause
Bobby Green def. Alan Patrick Silva Alves — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Preliminary Card
Billy Quarantillo def. Kyle Nelson — TKO (Round 2)
Sijara Eubanks def. Julia Avila — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Kevin Croom def. Roosevelt Roberts — Submission (Round 1, 0:31) — UFC debut, biggest underdog on card | Performance of the Night
Alexander Romanov def. Roque Martinez — Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) (Round 1) — UFC debut
Jalin Turner def. Brok Weaver — Submission (Round 1)
Bryan Barberena def. Anthony Ivy — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Sabina Mazo def. Justine Kish — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Michelle Waterson vs. Angela Hill ($50,000 each) — Closely contested five-round strawweight war
🏆 Performance of the Night: Kevin Croom ($50,000) — 31-second submission of Roosevelt Roberts, UFC debut
🏆 Performance of the Night: Ottman Azaitar ($50,000) — Dominant TKO of Khama Worthy
Records & Milestones
🥊 UFC Fight Night 177 was the first event in UFC history headlined by a bout involving an African-American woman — a landmark moment in the organisation’s representation history.
🥊 Kevin Croom’s 31-second submission of Roosevelt Roberts was one of the most shocking upsets on any Apex card during the pandemic era. Croom, the card’s longest-priced underdog, walked away with a UFC contract and a Performance of the Night bonus.
🥊 The Herman-Rodriguez fight produced one of the most controversial referee calls of 2020: Chris Tognoni paused the fight during a knee to Herman’s body area, believing it might have been a low blow. Herman won the subsequent resumption in round three. Dana White publicly criticised Tognoni’s intervention, invoking the name Steve Mazzagatti — a referee synonymous with bad stoppages — in his post-event commentary. Rodriguez’s team later filed an appeal.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 177 carries two distinct legacies. The first is its place in UFC history as the organisation’s first event headlined by an African-American woman — a significant milestone for representation in the sport. The second is Kevin Croom, the underdog who arrived on six days’ notice and left in 31 seconds with the biggest win of his career, reminding everyone that any given Saturday at the Apex could produce something impossible to script.
The Herman-Rodriguez controversy also had a lasting effect: Dana White’s blunt public criticism of Chris Tognoni renewed the perennial debate about referee standards in the UFC, and Rodriguez’s formal appeal kept the discussion alive for weeks. In a pandemic season full of memorable moments, FN 177 delivered controversy, history, and one of the year’s best upsets.
FAQ
What was the historical significance of the UFC Fight Night 177 main event?
The Waterson vs. Hill pairing marked the first time in UFC history that a bout involving an African-American woman headlined an event. Angela Hill, a Black American strawweight, headlined alongside Waterson in what was a landmark moment for representation in the sport.
Why was Kevin Croom’s win at UFC Fight Night 177 considered such an upset?
Croom stepped in on six days’ notice to replace injured Matt Frevola and was listed as the card’s longest-priced underdog. Roosevelt Roberts, his opponent, was a legitimate UFC prospect. Croom submitted him in 31 seconds on his UFC debut, earned a Performance of the Night bonus, and secured a UFC contract in the process. The Sherdog community later nominated it for Upset of the Year.
What was the controversy in the Herman vs. Rodriguez fight at UFC Fight Night 177?
Referee Chris Tognoni paused the fight in round two after Rodriguez landed a knee to Herman’s body area that Tognoni believed was a low blow. Herman was given recovery time, resumed fighting, and won by submission in round three. Dana White publicly criticised Tognoni’s call, invoking Steve Mazzagatti’s name. Rodriguez’s team later filed a formal appeal, alleging the pause was unjustified and that Herman had illegally used the fence in the finish.
Why was Santos vs. Teixeira removed from UFC Fight Night 177?
On September 3 — just nine days before fight night — Glover Teixeira tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw. The Santos-Teixeira main event was pulled and rescheduled for UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana on October 3. Waterson vs. Hill was promoted to the main event slot.
How did Waterson vs. Hill score with the judges?
The fight was scored a split decision in favour of Waterson. Two judges favoured Waterson and one scored it for Hill across the five competitive rounds. Both women were awarded the Fight of the Night bonus in recognition of the quality and competitiveness of the bout.
References
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