Michelle Eileen Waterson-Gomez (born January 6, 1986) is an American mixed martial artist and model who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Between 2013 and 2014, she was ranked the No. 1 women's atomweight fighter in the world. As of April 11, 2023, she is #12 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. She began her modeling career in 2004 after she graduated from Aurora Central High School. She then attended the University of Denver until she realized she wanted to pursue a career in fighting.
Waterson is married to former U.S. Armed Forces amateur boxing champion Joshua Gomez. On September 16, 2010, Waterson announced that she was pregnant with her first child and recently engaged. She gave birth to a daughter on March 18, 2011.
Waterson got her "Karate Hottie" nickname after she went to a Hooters calendar shoot.
2008 |
2012-2014 |
2015-2023 |
| Invicta FC Womens | Loss Submission | Invicta FC | 2014 | 1 |
| Invicta FC Womens | Win Knockout | Invicta FC | 2014 | 1 |
| Invicta FC Womens | Win Submission | Invicta FC | 2013 | 1 |
| Invicta FC Womens | Win Decision | Invicta FC | 2012 | 1 |
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