Michelle Waterson-Gomez has loads to sit up for after authoring a profession any fighter could be happy with.
Over the course of her 17-year professional run, Waterson-Gomez headlined UFC occasions, received an atomweight championship with Invicta FC, and stepped into the cage with a who’s who of the most effective feminine fighters on the earth. At UFC 303, she introduced her retirement following a loss to Gillian Robertson.
Waterson-Gomez, 38, isn’t certain what’s subsequent for her now that her cagefighting days are over, however she’s pleased that they’re.
“I don’t know,” Waterson-Gomez lately mentioned on The MMA Hour when requested if she is going to ever battle once more. “In the mean time, 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 appearing, I’d like to get into broadcasting. I’d like to be on the opposite facet 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 desires 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 wish to get my black belt. Whether or not or not that entails having to compete, we will see. However in the intervening time 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” commonly 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 have been few and much between as her profession progressed.
Certainly one of Waterson-Gomez’s most notable triumphs occurred early in her profession when she defeated Jessica Penne instantly basic in April 2013 to turn into 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 all 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 towards Jessica Penne and no person 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. The whole lot was stacked towards 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 selected method 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 making an attempt to separate me open. I simply bear in mind wanting over at my husband and he was simply telling me, ‘Settle down. You’re positive.’ 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 type of somewhat bit numb after the ref pulled us aside and I bear in mind standing up and simply dropping proper again to my knees, fascinated with all of the laborious work that had constructed as much as that second. In order that was a phenomenal second for me, for certain.”
Waterson-Gomez adopted the Penne win with one other robust efficiency towards Yasuko Tamada — “I used to be a savage in that battle,” 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 predominant occasion towards Paige VanZant at a present in Sacramento, Calif., in December 2016. She wanted lower than a spherical to choke Paige VanZant out.
“I really like my battle towards Paige VanZant as a result of I used to be out for a few 12 months and a half going by means of — I broke my hand in my UFC debut, however it didn’t matter as a result of I received,” 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 battle, it was like two weeks on the point of battle after which my hand would break once more, so it was like that for a 12 months and a half. So it went from me getting signed to the UFC, using this unimaginable excessive, to no person figuring out who I used to be, my hand was damaged, perhaps I must cease preventing, I used to be paying all these medical payments.
“Then I received slated to battle Paige VanZant after which it was the principle occasion at this unimaginable new stadium, big alternative, and that battle simply all appeared to fall in line completely. They name it the zen movement. Name it no matter you wish to name it, that’s what it was for me. The whole lot was occurring in gradual movement. I may see her motion, and the whole lot simply fell into place the way it wanted to. I used to be capable of safe the submission, received Efficiency of the Evening, and was capable of deliver extra cash residence, which is what meant probably the most to me as a result of I used to be out for a 12 months and a half costing my household cash. In order that battle 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 battle sport in some capability. She prides herself on all the time making time for MMA followers and doesn’t see why that has to vary now that she’s retired.
“Fingers crossed, I’ll be capable of 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 gang, to have Bruce Buffer scream my identify, and to be interviewed by Joe [Rogan]. All these issues we take as a right. To be stopped by followers, to be requested to take footage and autographs, these moments are priceless, and I used to be simply actually grateful to have these moments.”
