Andrade swarms Hill to take instant classic by unanimous decision

In a fight widely expected to decide the next challenger to Joanna Jedrzejczyk's strawweight title, Jessica Andrade boldly rose to the occasion Saturday night in Houston.

"Bate Estaca" treated a resilient Angela Hill to three rounds of flurries reminiscent of Wanderlei Silva en route to a unanimous decision to kick off UFC Fight Night 104. The 25-year-old sat in the fifth spot of the promotion's strawweight rankings heading into the bout, and cemented herself as the rightful challenger-in-waiting with the statement win, her third in as many fights at 115 pounds.

Andrade showed no fear of Hill's vaunted kickboxing, successfully countering everything her foe threw her way with bad intentions. The Brazilian repeatedly backed the Invicta FC champ against the cage and teed off on her with haymaker after haymaker, punishing Hill's body and noggin in equal measure.

The ever-game Hill would not go away, though, valiantly meeting Andrade's frenetic pace and digging deep to return fire. Heading into the final round knowing the only avenue to victory was a stoppage, "Overkill" boldly stood in the pocket and traded leather with the Brazilian buzzsaw in the opening minute.

Hill may not have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with her last-ditch efforts, but she flashed an alien chin and managed to pin a few badges of honor on Andrade's face.

A former "TUF 20" contestant, Hill was released from the UFC in 2015 following back-to-back losses to top-10 strawweights Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres. While her luck didn't take a turn for the better in her return to the Octagon, she can head back to the drawing board with a moral victory and an instant classic on her resume.

Hill holds a promotional record of 1-3 over her pair of stints.