Michelle Waterson-Gomez joined the desk for Fight Night 249: Dern vs. Ribas 2 (Vegas 101) on January 11, 2025. MMA Junkie’s broadcast preview announced her as a desk analyst for the event.
A new role after retirement
Waterson-Gomez announced her retirement on June 29, 2024, after losing a unanimous decision to Gillian Robertson in her final bout. The promotion’s retirement report and official fighter profile document the announcement and retired status. The official Vegas 101 results show a third-round submission in the main event.
Experience behind the analyst role
Waterson-Gomez brought a long competitive career to the broadcast desk. Her professional MMA career began in 2007 and included an Invicta FC atomweight championship. She won that title by submitting Jessica Penne in the fourth round in 2013, then made one successful defense before losing the belt in 2014.
She joined the UFC in 2015 at strawweight, winning her debut against Angela Magana by third-round submission. Her later UFC victories included Paige VanZant, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Felice Herrig and Angela Hill. By the time she retired, she had made fifteen UFC appearances and compiled an overall professional record of 18 wins and 13 losses.
The desk assignment therefore followed a career that crossed promotions and weight divisions. It allowed her to discuss fights from the perspective of a former competitor while remaining involved in the sport after her final bout. The January 2025 appearance was a broadcast role, distinct from a return to active competition.
