Why Michelle Waterson Could Be The UFC's Next Star

The Karate Hottie is tasked with an enormous challenge this weekend, but if she can get through Joanna Jedrzejczyk then the a door to the the top of the company could open.

Current Popularity

Waterson is already one of the most popular women on the UFC roster with over more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram (Nearly 300k more than current double-champ Amanda Nunes). Michelle's popularity can be attributed in part to her relatabillity to audience with children, she has a daughter and is on the quest of becoming the first mom-champ in the UFC. Another important factor that has led to her current admiration is how much she has diversified her image in the media. Michelle has appeared in different forms of media including: movies, reality TV shows and even showed up in a music video.

The Way She Fights

Waterson can put on some interesting fights, and she has done this in the past. The Karate Hottie has had earned two fight of the night bonuses during her Invicta run and has one performance bonus so far in the octagon. Waterson has a karate base which means that her game-plans usually revolve around keeping her opponent on their feet which is generally considered the most interesting aspect of MMA to casual fight-fans. Michelle can mix it up with dynamic karate-style attacks that leave both her opponents and the fans guessing.

Joanna's Experience

The biggest reason that win over Joanna could skyrocket Waterson is because Joanna is one of the best female fighters in UFC history with a really impressive record. Joanna holds wins over top 115ers such as Claudia Gadelha, Tecia Torres and former champions Carla Esparza and Jessica Andrade. If Waterson can add a win over a fighter with a fight-history like that she immediately becomes recognized as not just one of the most popular fights, but as one of the most dangerous. If this is coupled with her Invicta Championship resume and her memorable fights then we may have a new top draw in the MMA world.