The road to Michelle Waterson’s co-main event against Rose Namajunas has been an interesting one, with everything looking a lot different for “The Karate Hottie” since she debuted in the Octagon in the summer of 2015, picking up a third-round submission win over Angela Magana.
With the strawweight division still in its infancy back then and boasting a stellar reputation built through nearly a decade spent building her name on the regional circuit, Waterson’s victory instantly positioned her as one to watch in the 115-pound ranks. A few months later, she signed to fight Tecia Torres at UFC 194 on December 12 in Las Vegas, but an injury forced her off the year’s final Pay-Per-View card, delaying her sophomore appearance under the UFC banner.