Video: Michelle Waterson-Gomez Announces MMA Retirement After UFC 303 Loss

Jack MurrayJune 30, 2024

Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Fighting fans have seen the end of Michelle Waterson-Gomez’s fighting career.

The UFC fighter announced her retirement from the sport following a third-round decision loss to Gillian Robertson in UFC 303.

ESPN MMA @espnmmaAn emotional tribute for Michelle Waterson-Gomez after she announced her retirement at #UFC303 🫶 pic.twitter.com/zc5ClBDuWw

Waterson-Gomez finishes with a career record of 18-13. This was her fifth consecutive loss, and the final win of her career came in 2020 when she defeated Angela Hill via split decision.

She reflected on her career following the fight.

“I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for UFC,” Waterson-Gomez said. “Fighting runs through my veins, it makes me who I am.”

The prime of Waterson-Gomez’s career came between 2013-14 when she was ranked as the No. 1 atomweight in the world. She took victories over Jessica Penne and Yasuko Tamada during this period, and a loss to Hérica Tibúrcio saw her lose the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship.

She transitioned to UFC after this loss and started 6-4 with the company before dropping the final four matches. The 38-year-old said she will now focus on being in her husband and daughter’s corner as she moves to her post-fighting life.