The World’s Most Famous Arena hosts 2008 School of Art alumna Angela Hill, who takes to the ring at Madison Square Garden as part of UFC 322 on November 15. As the first African American woman to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Hill, also known as “Overkill,” is not only a pioneer in the sport but has broken records for activity and significant strikes. Known for a high-paced, exciting fight style, she is also a former World Kickboxing Association champion.

Following her Cooper Union degree, Hill pursued a career in animation, working briefly for an animation studio that unfortunately shuttered during the last recession. At the time, she joined a Muay Thai gym to stay fit, but what started as a hobby soon turned serious when she went undefeated as an amateur fighter of the martial art. After turning professional, she became the first full-rules Muay Thai female main event in New York history. 

When the UFC introduced the women’s strawweight division, the lightest women’s mixed martial arts (MMA) division, with the advent of the Ultimate Fighter Season 20, Hill jumped on the opportunity, winning her debut MMA fight via knock out just days before flying to official tryouts in Las Vegas. Still a neophyte in the sport, Hill then participated in Invicta FC, the preeminent women’s-only MMA event, winning the strawweight belt. Since returning to the UFC, she has been a top-ranked staple in the division. 

UFC.com calls her “one of the division’s most crowd-pleasing fighters,” and sports news site Yardbreaker notes she is destined to UFC Hall of Fame. Although she arrived at a MMA career by an unconventional path, Hill credits the self-belief and passion that led her to pursue the arts with her longevity and creativity in combat sports. 

“I’m hoping that I can encourage some young girls to start training and really see that it’s cool to do it. A lot of people don’t realize that it’s an option that’s available,” she previously told Fox Sports in an interview. Hill’s UFC 322 fight can be seen on ESPN+.