Waterson-Gomez was once considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in women\u2019s MMA, after victories against the likes of Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Paige VanZant, and Angela Hill. Despite her accolades, she opted to walk away from fighting to pursue other career avenues.<\/p>\n
![\"Michelle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2159695667-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesMichelle Waterson-Gomez admits to \u2018tempting\u2019 comeback in new arena<\/p>\n
Fast forward to 2025, and Waterson-Gomez is a common presence on UFC pre and post-fight show broadcasts. While she\u2019s transitioned seamlessly to the broadcast desk, she still has the competitive fire she showcased in her career, and an opportunity recently presented itself to return to fighting.<\/p>\n
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting<\/a>, Waterson-Gomez shared a recent discussion with former UFC champ Bas Rutten<\/a> that has her on the cusp of a potential comeback.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always tempting,\u201d Waterson-Gomez said. \u201cI did some in ring announcing for Karate Combat and I\u2019m talking to Bas [Rutten] and he\u2019s like, \u2018You should get into it, this is perfect for you, this is your wheelhouse!\u2019 It\u2019s definitely tempting. The competitor in me and the fighter in me is like I wonder.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I have realized as well, all these other things I\u2019m trying to get into, being an analyst for the UFC, getting into the acting world, it takes just as much dedication, and if I want to make a run at it, I have to be able to dedicate myself to those things as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Waterson-Gomez went on to open up on some of the struggles she\u2019s suffered through since retiring.<\/p>\n \u201cYou become a fighter, you become a warrior and when you step away from it, you miss it. You go through withdrawals. You go through depression. There\u2019s so many things you go through,\u201d Waterson-Gomez revealed. \u201cBut luckily, I have an amazing husband, an amazing family and supportive team behind me to help me move to the next chapter and put as much energy into all the other endeavors that I\u2019m doing as much as I was in fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n Waterson-Gomez featured as a post-fight interviewer at several Karate Combat events earlier this year. If she opts to return to fighting in the KC pit, she\u2019ll become the latest UFC veteran to make the switch, joining the likes of Luke Rockhold and Sam Alvey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Waterson-Gomez began training karate when she was 10 years old, a discipline which led her to some of her biggest UFC victories. <\/p>\n Michelle Waterson-Gomez was one of several UFC fan favorites to hang up the gloves over the last year<\/p>\n At the time of her retirement, Waterson-Gomez was one of several prominent veterans to drop the gloves in the Octagon in 2024. Dustin Poirier joined Waterson-Gomez<\/a> and others in the retirement realm after his loss at UFC 318 last month.<\/p>\n