Michelle Waterson-Gomez has a lot to sit up for after authoring a profession any fighter could be pleased with.
Over the course of her 17-year professional run, Waterson-Gomez headlined UFC occasions, gained an atomweight championship with Invicta FC, and stepped into the cage with a who’s who of the perfect feminine fighters on the earth. At UFC 303, she introduced her retirement following a loss to Gillian Robertson.
Waterson-Gomez, 38, isn’t positive what’s subsequent for her now that her cagefighting days are over, however she’s comfortable that they’re.
“I don’t know,” Waterson-Gomez just lately mentioned on The MMA Hour when requested if she’s going to ever struggle once more. “In the meanwhile, I’m actually content material with strolling away. I’m content material with turning the web page and taking a step ahead into this new chapter. I’m actually excited. I’d like to get into performing, I’d like to get into broadcasting. I’d like to be on the opposite aspect of it.
“I’d love to educate a few of my teammates to greatness. I’d love to have the ability to assist different feminine athletes, different feminine businesswomen, different moms pursue their goals and no matter it’s. I’d love to have the ability to be of their nook for that. I’m nonetheless a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, I need to get my black belt. Whether or not or not that entails having to compete, we will see. However in the meanwhile I’m simply fairly content material with simply being mommy.”
The writing was on the wall for Waterson-Gomez to step away from competitors, as her loss to Robertson marked her fifth straight setback, a skid courting again to September 2020. Although “The Karate Hottie” repeatedly went toe-to-toe with the likes of 2024 Corridor of Fame inductee Joanna Jedrzejczyk and two-time UFC strawweight champions Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas, wins over elite competitors had been few and much between as her profession progressed.
One among Waterson-Gomez’s most notable triumphs occurred early in her profession when she defeated Jessica Penne immediately basic in April 2013 to grow to be Invicta’s 115-pound champion. The then-27-year-old battled backwards and forwards with Penne earlier than scoring a dramatic armbar submission within the fourth spherical.
To at the present time, she considers it one in every of her crowning achievements.
“That was the time the place I bit down on my mouthpiece and shut the world out and simply believed in myself,” Waterson-Gomez mentioned. “I used to be a 10-to-1 underdog in opposition to Jessica Penne and no one thought that I may win that belt. She was larger, she was a brown belt in jiu-jitsu on the time, I used to be a white belt, simply had my daughter. All the things was stacked in opposition to me, however I knew — I knew in my coronary heart that I used to be going to win. It didn’t matter how and I didn’t have a particular manner how. I simply knew that I used to be going to win.
“It was a conflict. It was backwards and forwards, and at one level she was on high of me and she or he was ground-and-pounding me and raining down punches attempting to separate me open. I simply bear in mind trying over at my husband and he was simply telling me, ‘Settle down. You’re effective.’ I used to be capable of reverse that place and are available out within the subsequent spherical and end her by submission. All of it got here to a head. I used to be sort of just a little bit numb after the ref pulled us aside and I bear in mind standing up and simply dropping proper again to my knees, interested by all of the exhausting work that had constructed as much as that second. In order that was a phenomenal second for me, for positive.”
Waterson-Gomez adopted the Penne win with one other sturdy efficiency in opposition to Yasuko Tamada — “I used to be a savage in that struggle,” she mentioned — defeating Yamada by third-round TKO to defend her title.
Two fights later, Waterson-Gomez made her UFC debut with a submission of Angela Magana, which set her up for her first UFC principal occasion in opposition to Paige VanZant at a present in Sacramento, Calif., in December 2016. She wanted lower than a spherical to choke Paige VanZant out.
“I like my struggle in opposition to Paige VanZant as a result of I used to be out for a couple of yr and a half going via — I broke my hand in my UFC debut, however it didn’t matter as a result of I gained,” Waterson-Gomez mentioned. “After that, it was a collection of hand breaks, so it was like, ‘Gosh, I simply received signed to the UFC and I preserve breaking my hand!’ Each time I received a struggle, it was like two weeks on the point of struggle after which my hand would break once more, so it was like that for a yr and a half. So it went from me getting signed to the UFC, using this unbelievable excessive, to no one figuring out who I used to be, my hand was damaged, possibly I must cease preventing, I used to be paying all these medical payments.
“Then I received slated to struggle Paige VanZant after which it was the primary occasion at this unbelievable new stadium, enormous alternative, and that struggle simply all appeared to fall in line completely. They name it the zen stream. Name it no matter you need to name it, that’s what it was for me. All the things was occurring in gradual movement. I may see her motion, and every part simply fell into place the way it wanted to. I used to be capable of safe the submission, received Efficiency of the Night time, and was capable of carry extra cash residence, which is what meant essentially the most to me as a result of I used to be out for a yr and a half costing my household cash. In order that struggle was additionally very significant to me as nicely.”
At this second, Waterson-Gomez has no plans to make any extra recollections as a competitor, although she expects to be concerned with the struggle sport in some capability. She prides herself on at all times making time for MMA followers and doesn’t see why that has to vary now that she’s retired.
“Fingers crossed, I’ll have the ability to be within the again in a unique enviornment,” Waterson-Gomez mentioned. “I’d like to get into broadcasting.
“I’d love to have the ability to nonetheless contact the magic and be part of the MMA world as a result of there’s nothing prefer it, however to have the ability to compete, to be within the locker room, to really feel these nerves, to listen to the group, to have Bruce Buffer scream my identify, and to be interviewed by Joe [Rogan]. All these issues we take without any consideration. To be stopped by followers, to be requested to take photos and autographs, these moments are priceless, and I used to be simply actually grateful to have these moments.”
