Last week, Michelle Waterson made her long awaited UFC debut at the Ultimate Fighter Finale. She rallied back from a slow start to choke out Angela Magana by rear-naked choke and announce her arrival in the strawweight division.
Although Waterson revealed soon afterwards that she had injured her hand, she is already contemplating her next fight. During an interview with Submission Radio, Waterson was asked whether a rematch against Jessica Penne would be something that interested her, to which she immediately suggested would propel her into title contention.
“I think it’s a fine match up,” Waterson said on the show. “I have no problem fighting Jessica again. So I mean, if that’s what Dana White and Sean Shelby want for me, I think it will catapult me right up to the top of the list as far as contenders for the championship. So it really is up to Dana and Sean Shelby. I end up fighting everyone in the division anyway.”
While a rematch would take place up a weight class at strawweight, Waterson doesn’t expect much of a difference in the outcome.
“I think it would play out a little differently. I feel like my wrestling’s a lot stronger now, and just with both of us being able to have the size difference in 105. I mean I honestly feel like it would be the same result in me wining, but I just think it would play out a little differently. Possibly more stand up.”
With her sights set on Polish champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Waterson revealed that she is more than capable of outstriking the undefeated fighter.
“Of course, of course I do. No question about it.”
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