NOTE: Michelle Waterson was victorious at Invicta FC 8, picking up a dominant TKO win over Yasuko Tamada
At five-foot-four and competing at 105 pounds, Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson is on the verge of making it big.
The Invicta FFC atomweight champion has flown under the radar somewhat ever since her pro career started in February 2007. Fast forward seven years, though, and she is now headlining Saturday’s Invicta FC 8 card against Japan’s Yasuko Tamada in Kansas City, MO., with the added benefit the event being streamed on UFC Fight Pass to increase her exposure to the MMA world.
“It’s really exciting, but I can’t think about that too much, as I don’t want to get myself to riled up,” Waterson told UFC Central Radio on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “It’s a big opportunity, and I think the sky is the limit.”
The event could end up being a launching pad for Waterson, who may just follow in the footsteps of Ronda Rousey, the current face of woman’s MMA. Rousey, has become a household name and is an inspiration to many of today’s mixed martial artists.
Waterson shares similar traits to the UFC women’s bantamweight champ in that she is beloved by a growing fan base, both for her beauty as well as her relentless fighting style. She possesses excellent MMA technique and strategy in all aspects of her game and has proven she can end a fight in the first minute of the first round, or in the championship rounds like she did in her last bout versus the uber-talented Jessica Penne.
Waterson won the title with a fourth-round armbar, surprising not just Penne with the set-up, but almost everyone who was watching the fight. Waterson’s hips, transitions and pace were non-stop from the opening bell. When it’s time to fight, she goes until she can’t go anymore.
Training with the Jackson-Winkeljohn team in Albuquerque, N.M., gives her no choice but to spar with, fend off and try to defeat some of the world’s best fighters. So when it comes to fight time, she’s more than prepared because of the blood, sweat and tears she spilt in the gym.
And do not be fooled by her nickname, as “The Karate Hottie” may be easy on the eyes, but she is all business when it comes to fighting and her career. Being a mother to a young child, Waterson is driven to succeed and support the family she holds close to her heart.
On the outside looking in, many often wonder why she chose MMA as her primary revenue stream, when her looks alone could put her on the cover of any magazine in the sports, fitness or fashion industry. Waterson views it more like “why not?” Instead of “why?”
Laughing out loud whenever she gets asked that question, she summarized it succinctly.
“Georges St-Pierre is a very handsome man, but nobody asks him, how come he doesn’t do underwear modelling?”
