Angela Hill is 100 percent worthy of UFC Hall of Fame

Angela Hill is far from your typical UFC Hall of Famer. She never won a world title, is not a big knockout artist and was not a big part of the company's rise to mainstream media attention. Yet, when it is all said and done, there is a good chance she will receive the honor at a future International Fight Week ceremony.

When comparing Hill's career to that of the fighters already in the Hall of Fame, she does not come close to matching up. There is only one fighter in the honorary group with whom she shared a similar career arc. Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, who previously held the record for most wins in UFC history, is the best argument one can make for Hill.

Once Hill, a career .500 fighter, realized her initial goal of becoming a champion was out of reach, she made it her new objective to become the "female Cowboy." She voiced her desire to mimic Cerrone's career, which built a foundation of constant activity and excitement. During the latter portion of her tenure, even into her 40s, that is exactly what Hill has done.

In her 11-year professional MMA career, Hill has spent all but five of her fights in the UFC. Undisputed gold may have eluded her, but she set the record for most fights, wins and total strikes landed for a female fighter in UFC history. For a fighter who has endured multiple losing streaks and painfully lost eight split decisions, there is more to those records than surface value.

In a sport as young as MMA, the term "pioneer" is often thrown around recklessly. Few embody the meaning of the label, with Hill being one of them. Without much of a martial arts background, Hill made her professional debut shortly after the UFC allowed women into the Octagon. 

She was a contestant on Season 20 of "The Ultimate Fighter," the first to include all female participants. She continued to break barriers by becoming one of the first female fighters to appear as an analyst on the ESPN UFC broadcast.

If nothing else, the UFC will be hard-pressed to find another fighter like Hill ever again. Without a decorated wrestling background or a black belt in sight, grit and savviness were all she needed to carve out a historic and legendary career. 

Not even age seems to be able to slow her down, as at 40, Hill is 6-0 in her last 15 fights against unranked opponents. Matchmakers can continue to try to find young prospects to take her place in the rankings, but there is no replacing "Overkill."

At the rate she is currently going, retirement still seems decades away for Hill, despite her age. Regardless, she is a fighter who needs to be enjoyed before it is too late. Whenever she does leave her gloves in the cage, don't be surprised to see Hill immortalized in UFC history.