Former Invicta FC champ and longtime UFC fan favorite Michelle Waterson has taken to social media to address a potentially “career-ending” injury that scrapped her fight with Amanda Ribas later this month.
Waterson (18-9) and Ribas (11-2) were originally expected to face off at UFC Columbus on March 26. However, due to an undisclosed injury, the strawweight fight was pushed back to UFC 274 in May. Even that date now appears to be up in the air, however, after Waterson revealed the severity of the issue on Thursday — without directly addressing what ailed her.
“Supposed to be fighting March 26, and due to circumstances, I’m not going to be able to do that. I’m hoping, keeping my fingers crossed that it is a short break,” Waterson said in a video posted on her verified Instagram account. “It’s an injury that stopped me from training, and it’s heartbreaking. I was really excited to fight Amanda. I know she was very excited to fight, as well, so hopefully it’s a fight that we can still have. But if I don’t take care of this injury, it will turn into something that can be worse and career ending.”
Waterson has not competed since a loss to Marina Rodriguez in May of last year. “The Karate Hottie” has dropped three of her last four fights, but got back in the win column prior to the Rodriguez bout, winning a decision against Angela Hill.
