Waterson-Gomez announces retirement after loss

Michelle Waterson-Gomez, one of the most influential figures in women’s mixed martial arts history, retired at UFC 303 on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Waterson-Gomez, 38, announced her retirement following a unanimous-decision loss to Gillian Robertson on the UFC 303 undercard. Waterson-Gomez (18-13) came to prominence more than a decade ago, at a time when women’s MMA was still finding its footing. She won a 105-pound atomweight championship in 2013 and went on to a successful career in the UFC at 115 pounds.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the UFC and all you fans continuing to push me,” Waterson-Gomez said. “Fighting runs through my veins, and it’s made me who I am. When you fight, you chase greatness. I’ve been contemplating this and talked to my husband. What am I if I’m not fighting? He told me just because I’m not fighting in the Octagon, doesn’t mean I stop fighting [in life], and that helped me move on.”

Known as “Karate Hottie,” Waterson moved to the UFC in 2015, where she competed as an undersized strawweight. She fought nearly all of the best of her era, including Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Carla Esparza. She appeared in ESPN’s Body Issue in 2017 and often spoke of her dream to become a UFC champion for her daughter, who was born shortly into her professional MMA career.

Going into Saturday’s contest, Waterson-Gomez was the No. 13-ranked strawweight in the UFC.