Tag: Michelle Waterson

Dana White: UFC to return May 9; Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje, other title fights on tap

The UFC is eying a May 9 return, with an event at a location to be determined, but a blockbuster lineup in mind.

The UFC may be back sooner than anticipated.

When UFC president Dana White canceled UFC 249, he also postponed all subsequent events indefinitely due to restrictions caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as well as a request to stand down by the UFC’s broadcast partners at ESPN and Disney. However, the promotion is now eying a May 9 return, with an event at a location to be determined.

Tuesday, MMA Junkie confirmed the UFC’s considered plans with a person with knowledge of the situation. The person asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Fighting was the first to report the plans.

Dana White later informed ESPN the promotion is looking to rebook various big fights that were delayed by the schedule change, including [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (originally set to headline UFC 249), [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] (originally in the works to headline UFC 250), [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Felicia Spencer[/autotag] (originally set to co-headline UFC 250), and [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (originally set to headline UFC on ESPN 8).

Upon announcing the cancellation and postponements, White promised the UFC would be the first sporting organization to return to normalcy – whether it be on a mysterious “Fight Island” he said the company is currently constructing, or elsewhere.

“We will be the first sport back,” White said. “‘Fight Island’ is real. It’s a real thing. The infrastructure is being built right now, and that’s really going to happen. It will be on ESPN.”

If the event isn’t scheduled for “Fight Island,” the state of Florida could be another potential location for the UFC to hold the May 9 card. In a press release issued Monday, Florida governor Ron DeSantis revealed some sporting events, including WWE, will be deemed essential businesses.

It’s unknown if Tachi Palace Casino in Lemore, Calif. could be in the cards, as well. The Indian reservation casino was targeted to be the new home of UFC 249 on April 18, prior to ESPN and Disney executives asking the UFC to cancel the event entirely.

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Prior to the announcement of postponements, the UFC had 11 events publicly on tap: UFC 249 (April 18 in Lemore, Calif.), UFC on ESPN+ 31 (April 25 in Lemore, Calif.), UFC on ESPN+ 32 (May 2 in Lemore, Calif.), UFC 250 (May 9 at Location TBD), UFC on ESPN+ 33 (May 16 in San Diego), UFC 251 (June 6 in Perth, Australia), UFC Kazakhstan (June 13 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakstan), UFC Saskatoon (June 20 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada), UFC Austin (June 27 in Austin, Texas), UFC 252 (July 11 in Las Vegas), and UFC Dublin (Aug. 15 in Dublin, Ireland).

The status of all above events are currently unknown.

According to ESPN, the proposed May 9 event includes the following lineup:

  • Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje – for interim lightweight title
  • Champ Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz – for bantamweight title
  • Champ Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer – for women’s featherweight title
  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag]

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Michelle Waterson hails Weili-Jedrzejczyk battle as perfect showcase for UFC’s strawweights

Michelle Waterson said defending champion Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s bout at UFC 248 made her proud of the 115-pound division.

When [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] and [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag] went to war in their instant classic title fight at UFC 248, [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] was a more interested spectator than most.

Waterson’s hope of challenging for the UFC strawweight title were put on hold after her loss to Jedrzejczyk at UFC on ESPN+ 19 in Tampa, Fla., this past October, and she admitted that she had to take some time to get over the pain and disappointment of that loss.

“It took me a while to even build up the courage to rewatch the fight, just because there was so much riding on that fight and the way that it happened – there was a huge let-down for me,” Waterson told MMA Junkie. “I think when you lose, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You only see the loss. It’s not like a scoreboard when it’s like, ‘OK, 80-100, you almost won.’ I know that we went five rounds and they gave those scores, but there’s so much that happens within a fight that the average fan and even the judges (and) commentators don’t see.”

After the pain of defeat had subsided and she was able to watch the fight with a clearer head, Waterson (17-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) came away feeling more positive about her performance and her standing in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division.

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“When I watched the fight back with my husband, I was able to walk away with my head held high,” she said. “I think that there are definitely things I could improve on – there are always things that I could improve on. But after watching the fight, I do know that I belong at the top of the division and I’m literally inches away from that belt. When you’re competing against girls at that high of a caliber, it is just an inch to the left or an inch to the right that will determine whether you win or lose.”

Motivated by that morale boost, Waterson settled down to watch the title fight between Weili and Jedrzejczyk, and said that it was a fight that not only did both fighters great credit, but also served as a statement of excellence for the strawweight division as a whole.

“Seeing that war with Joanna and Weili, honestly, I’m incredibly proud of the strawweight division,” she said. “Every time the strawweights fight, we bring it and we put on a show. Regardless of which strawweight you fight, we definitely bring the heat.

“When my husband and I watched the fight between Weili and Joanna, we were so entertained. I was on the edge of my chair the whole time. I felt like I was in the octagon with them. It was so entertaining. In my opinion, none of those ladies walked away with a loss that night. They both showed the heart of a champion.

“I did edge it to Joanna before they called the scorecards. I can understand why they would give it to Weili because of the amount of damage Joanna took toward the end of the fight. So like I said, going away from that fight I think that both of the ladies win.”

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Michelle Waterson offers support, not criticism, to Jon Jones: ‘I will always be here to support him’

Michelle Waterson says Jon Jones’ personal life is “none of my business” but said she would always be there if her teammate needed her help.

There may be a queue of people lining up to criticize [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] following the UFC light heavyweight champion’s latest brush with the law, but you won’t find [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] among them.

UFC strawweight contender Waterson has known Jones for years, with the pair both longstanding members of the Jackson-Winkeljohn team in Albuquerque, N.M. When asked about Jones’ recent issues that saw him arrested on DWI and firearms charges, Waterson offered words of support, rather than criticism.

“I love Jon and I wish the best for him and his family,” Waterson told MMA Junkie. “He’s done nothing but be really supportive of me, my career and my family, and the team.”

Jones was arrested in the early hours of March 26 in Albuquerque and charged with aggravated DWI, negligent use of a firearm, possession of an open container, and no proof of insurance. He entered a guilty plea with prosecutors and avoided jail time after his legal team struck a deal.

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Instead, he will receive 96 hours of community custody, one year of supervised probation, a minimum 90 days of outpatient therapy – which will be conducted via video conferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic – and 48 hours of community service. He subsequently issued a statement admitting he has an “unhealthy relationship with alcohol.”

His latest issues have led to plenty of people both within the sport and on social media offering their takes on Jones, his situation and his behavior. But Waterson said she won’t be wading in with them. Instead, she said that she would always be on hand if her troubled teammate ever needed help.

“He is a great guy,” she said. “I don’t know what’s happening in his personal life and, honestly, it’s none of my business. He’s always been there for me, and I will always be here to support him in his life. There are deeper issues, and it is not anyone’s place to judge what is going on in his life.”

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Michelle Waterson lifts the lid on two new opponents: Homeschooling and home cooking

Michelle Waterson says she’s dealing two brand new, tricky opponents during the coronavirus lockdown.

UFC strawweight contender [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] has shared the octagon with the best in the world at 115 pounds, but now she’s stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdown and facing the challenge of two tricky new opponents.

Chatting to MMA Junkie from her Albuquerque, N.M. home, Waterson (17-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) said that she’s still keeping fit with at-home workouts, but said being stuck in the house has brought other tests during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s been a lot of stuff we’re having to take care of here at home,” she explained. “My daughter is no longer going to school, so I’m having to homeschool her now, which takes up a lot of my time.”

Waterson may be a role model as one of the UFC’s top female athletes, but when it comes to teaching her daughter, it’s a whole different ball game, as she explained.

“My daughter’s very smart, but it’s just having to wear a different hat,” she said. “She’s very receptive to me as a mother and a mentor in certain aspects of her life. But she has a teacher, and when I try to step into that role there’s definitely a bit of a learning curve on both of our ends, because when I try to explain stuff to her, it’s not how the teacher explains it to her, so she’s like, ‘whatever!'”

One thing fighting has prepared her for, however, is the quarantine mentality that fighters have to embrace when they go into fight camp, especially when they’re starting to taper down their weight ahead of fight week.

“That’s why I love fighting, because it prepares you for things outside of fighting,” she said. “As fighters you have to be prepared for the unexpected and this is definitely one of those things.

“Basically, when you go into fight camp, it’s like going into quarantine!” she laughed. “You can’t do nothing, you can’t have a drink, you can’t go party! But I would say my daughter’s going a bit stir crazy. My mum, too.”

The presence of Mama Waterson provides another challenge to “The Karate Hottie,” who says her mother’s love of cooking has proved to be a double-edged sword in her house during the lockdown period.

“She wants to get out of the house so bad, but she can’t,” she explained. “And that’s hard too, because the thing she does to keep herself calm is cook, and then I eat her food, because it’s delicious, and then I’m moving up to 125 pounds!”

In good spirits and full of smiles, despite her less-than-ideal situation, Waterson said she’d love to jump straight back into the octagon and fight. But she also understands the need for a lockdown, and how sometimes it’s best to sit tight and ride things out.

“That’s hard to say because it’s my career. That’s how I make a living, that’s how I feed my family, that’s how I bring money to the table,” she said. “So selfishly, I would like to be able to fight so I could pay my bills and be able to continue to help support my family.

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“But on the other end, there are things that are out of my control, and sometimes when you try to force something that isn’t supposed to be forced, it makes things worse than they were before. So I’m just trying to make the best of the situation, take advantage of the time I have at home with the family, and stay grinding.

“Honestly, it really could be worse. What they are asking us to do is stay home with our loved ones, so that we don’t get sick. That is not a huge sacrifice. So she has to learn how to sacrifice, and if you can’t sacrifice staying home for a couple of weeks and not seeing your friends so that you don’t see this thing spread and really change your world, then you don’t have any patience and that’s what you need to learn. It’s a teaching moment.”

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Michelle Waterson still wants to fight Carla Esparza, hopes UFC events return soon

In these uncertain times during the coronavirus pandemic, Michelle Waterson is certain about still wanting her original booking.

UFC strawweight contender [autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] was getting set to take on [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+30 on April 11 in Portland, Ore., but now, just like everyone else on the UFC roster, “The Karate Hottie” finds herself in limbo as she ponders her next assignment.

Speaking to MMA Junkie from her home in Albuquerque, N.M., Waterson (17-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) said she hopes to be back in the octagon as soon as possible once the coronavirus pandemic has run its course.

“I sure hope so. I kinda don’t know what to expect for the near future for anything, so I’m just staying in shape,” she said. “Luckily I have an amazing house to quarantine in, and my husband is an amazing coach. So just between the two of us we’re able to get good workouts in and stay in shape, so we’re staying in shape and just waiting to hear some good news.”

The natural step would likely be to simply rebook Waterson and Esparza for a future show. But as things stand, the UFC’s main focus is on making UFC 249 happen. After that, Waterson says she’s hoping that event could spark a resurgence, with more locked in and more fights confirmed.

“I haven’t heard anything, but you know, anything can happen at this point,” Waterson said. “I know Dana is working really hard and, honestly, I think his main objective is to get this April 18 card up and going, so everything else that happened prior to that is just kinda … they’re just going to try to fill the slots and everything when the floodgates open. I’m hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. It’s all we can do.”

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Waterson had all but finished her fight camp for Esparza (15-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) when it was revealed that her bout, and the event, had been postponed. As a result, she said she’d love to pick up where she left off and face the former strawweight champion, as planned, whenever things get back on track, and she suggested it wouldn’t necessarily be the straight-up striker-vs.-wrestler style matchup many may think.

“Absolutely, I would love to fight Carla,” she said. “Her and I have been in the game for quite a long time. She was the Invicta champ when I was still fighting atomweight, (and) she was the first UFC champ. I would love to get a crack at her and test my skills against her.

“You never know; it’s MMA. I think Carla’s been working really hard on brushing up on her boxing and trying to be more well rounded. I look forward to fighting the best Carla.”

Waterson says her gut tells her the matchup could happen in May, but with the global shutdown continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic, she joked she might even have to get her competitive fix by taking on her strawweight rival by other means.

“I was going to propose to Carla that we do a virtual fight and see how that goes,” Waterson said. “But I don’t know who we get to judge that.”

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Michelle Waterson vs. Carla Esparza booked for UFC on ESPN+ 30 in Portland

Two of the top 115-pounders in the world will square off at UFC on ESPN+ 30.

A pivotal 115-pound matchup is headed to Portland.

[autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] will take on [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN + 30, the promotion announced Saturday.

UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place April 11 at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. The card is expected to stream on ESPN+.

The fight marks the first time Waterson (17-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) will compete since a unanimous decision loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC on ESPN+ 19 last October. Over the course of five rounds, Waterson was picked apart by the former champion. However, “The Karate Hottie” hung tough and survived the onslaught.

Prior to the loss, Waterson had won three straight fights against Courtney Casey, Felice Herrig and Karolina Kowalkiewicz, respectively.

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As for Esparza (15-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC), she’s won back-to-back fights. After she defeated former Invicta champion Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN+ 8 last April, Esparza edged Alexa Grasso by majority at UFC on ESPN+ 17 in September.

The inaugural UFC women’s strawweight champion, Esparza has picked up victories in four out of her most recent six bouts.

With the addition, here’s the current UFC on ESPN+ 30 lineup:

  • Walt Harris vs. Alistair Overeem
  • Randy Brown vs. Vicente Luque
  • Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson
  • Tristan Connelly vs. Alex Silva
  • Don’Tale Mayes vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
  • Alessio Di Chirico vs. Markus Perez
  • Julia Avila vs. Karol Rosa

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