Michelle Waterson-Gomez, the strawweight mixed martial artist who has often kept the fighting community on the edge of their seats, has remained a fan favorite ever since she defeated Angela Magana at The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians Finale. Today, why don’t we take a look at the strawweight sensation’s personal life and origins?

‘The Karate Hottie’, even though has lost quite a few bouts in her MMA career [her record currently stands 18-12-0], is a strong presence in the Octagon. Needless to say, the fighting community has often wondered about the 38-year-old’s family background and origins. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

All we know about Michelle Waterson-Gomez’s parents, ethnicity, and nationality

Waterson-Gomez was born in Colorado Springs, on the 6th of January, 1986. She brings her fists and kicks to the arena as a proud American woman, even though her roots lie in Thailand. Her mother is indeed a Thai woman, but her father is Caucasian. 

‘The Karate Hottie’ was brought up in the beautiful town of Aurora, and graduated from the Aurora Central High School. Waterson grew up alongside a brother and a sister. Before she decided to get inducted into the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Waterson-Gomez kickstarted her career as a model. She also worked as a waitress at Hooters, one of America’s most famous restaurant chains. It was during her time at Hooters that she stumbled upon Joshua Gomez. In 2012, Gomez and Waterson decided to tie the knot and the duo have been together for over a decade now. 

‘The Karate Hottie’ has been yearning to clinch a victory ever since she fought Angela Hill, back in 2021. She has gone on a losing spree with her last four bouts resulting in unfortunate losses. Nevertheless, the fighter has often claimed that it’s her family that supported her and helped her boost her career in MMA when everything else turned a few shades darker.

But have you ever wondered how the mixed martial artist found her way to the realm of combat sports? Let’s find out about all about it.

How did Michelle Waterson-Gomez start fighting?

Michelle Waterson-Gomez began her journey in martial arts when she was just 19 years old. Talking to the UFC, she revealed, ‘At the age of 19 I began my amateur career because martial arts was and is my life and I want to be well-rounded in every aspect, including the combative part. The thrill and challenge it presented got me hooked and I haven’t looked back since.” 19 years later, ‘The Karate Hottie’ has grabbed herself a black belt in American freestyle karate and a brown belt in BJJ. 

Needless to say, fighting in the UFC was like a dream come true for the former Invicta FC atomweight champion. Stepping inside the octagonal cage and fighting to win was indeed a way for her to inspire people and become a good role model for her daughter. “Being in the UFC I will be able to display my heart, soul, and determination for the world to see,” she said. Starting with a phenomenal performance and win via unanimous decision over Andrea Miller at ROF 28: Evolution, Waterson-Gomez sure has come a long way in MMA.

With her next fight against Gillian Robertson in the early prelim card at UFC 303, ‘The Karate Hottie’ will, in fact, showcase her fighting prowess and prove her worthiness in the Octagon. What are your thoughts on Waterson’s story? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.