Michelle Waterson

Michelle 'The Karate Hottie' Waterson-Gomez was one of the UFC's most recognizable and marketable women's fighters, a traditional martial artist who brought creative, karate-based striking to the cage. She first made her name as Invicta's atomweight champion before becoming a fixture near the top of the UFC's strawweight and flyweight divisions.

Undersized in most of her fights, she relied on timing, angles, slick kicks, and a underrated submission game to compete with the division's best, facing names like Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Carla Esparza, and Marina Rodriguez. She retired after a 2024 loss, capping a long and respected run.

For new fans, Waterson is a fun watch for her style alone: she fought with flair and craft rather than raw power, and her marketability made her one of the faces of women's MMA for years. She's a great example of how technique and personality can carry a fighter to the top of the sport.