Michelle Waterson

Michelle Waterson-Gomez (born January 6, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist, actress, stuntwoman, and former model who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion.

She began her modeling career in 2004 after she graduated from Aurora Central High School.

She then attended the University of Denver, also working as a waitress at Hooters, until she realized she wanted to pursue a career in fighting.

Her early interest in gymnastics, and inability to pay for classes, led her to karate at the age of ten.

Waterson holds a black belt in American freestyle karate and has also trained in wushu, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, boxing, and wrestling.

Waterson rose to fame as a contestant on the Muay Thai-themed Fight Girls reality show on the Oxygen television network.

She was also featured as one of the fighters in the MTV/MTV2 reality show Bully Beatdown.

Waterson made her MMA debut on February 16, 2007, at Ring of Fire 28: Evolution against Andrea Miller, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

She made her debut without having any amateur fights.

She faced Freestyle Cage Fighting champion Lynn Alvarez at Ring of Fire 31: Undisputed on December 1, 2007, but lost by submission in the first round.

Waterson made her Strikeforce debut against Tyra Parker at Strikeforce: Payback on October 3, 2008.

She won the fight by rear naked choke submission in the first round.

Waterson faced Karina Taylor at Duke City MMA Series 1 on March 1, 2009.

She won the fight by armbar submission in the first round.

There was some controversy with this fight because Taylor did not tap out to the armbar.

On April 11, 2009, Waterson fought former WIBA and IFBA Flyweight Boxing Champion Elena Reid at Apache Gold: Extreme Beatdown.

Reid won the fight by TKO in the second round.

Waterson faced the debuting Rosary Califano at EB - Beatdown at 4 Bears 6 and won by submission due to a flying armbar in just 15 seconds.

She faced Masako Yoshida at Crowbar MMA: Spring Brawl on April 24, 2010.

Waterson won the fight by TKO in the first round.

Waterson returned to MMA on January 21, 2012.

She faced Diana Rael at Jackson's MMA Series 7 and won the fight by rear-naked choke in the first round.

Waterson faced Lacey Schuckman at Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama on October 6, 2012.

After three back and forth rounds, Waterson defeated Schuckman via split decision.

The bout was named Fight of the Night.

Between 2013 and 2014, she was ranked the No. 1 women's atomweight fighter in the world.

As of January 23, 2024, she is #14 in the UFC women's strawweight rankings.

Born in Colorado Springs and raised in Aurora, Waterson is of European and Thai descent: her father is American and mother Thai.

Waterson challenged for the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship when she faced Jessica Penne in the main event of Invicta FC 5: Penne vs. Waterson on April 5, 2013.

Waterson won the fight via armbar submission in the fourth round to become the Invicta FC Atomweight Champion.

On September 6, 2014, Waterson successfully defended her championship against Yasuko Tamada in the main event of Invicta FC 8 via TKO in the third round.

Waterson next headlined Invicta FC 10 on December 5, 2014, in Houston against Brazilian Hérica Tibúrcio.

She lost the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the third round.

On April 28, 2015, it was reported that Waterson had officially signed with the UFC and was expected to compete in the Women's Strawweight division.

Waterson made her promotional debut against Angela Magaña on July 12, 2015, at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale.

She won the fight via submission in the third round.

Waterson was next expected to meet Tecia Torres at UFC 194.

However, she was forced to pull out of the bout on November 24, 2015, citing a knee injury.

After over a year-and-a-half away from the sport due to injuries, Waterson returned in December 2016 to face Paige VanZant in the main event at UFC on Fox 22.