Yesterday at the main event of UFC Fight Night 161 which took place at the Amalie Center in Tampa, Florida, former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk defeated Michelle Waterson via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46).
Waterson was thoroughly dominated throughout the fight by the former champion, she, however, did have her moments throughout the fight and none were as dominant as the one in the third round when she looked just moments away from victory when she had Joanna in a position of rear-naked choke. But it didn’t happen as Joanna was simply too good.
After the fight, as Michelle Waterson was leaving the Octagon, she was embraced by her training partner from Jackson-Wink MMA, Holly Holm. The former bantamweight champion consoled her and said something to her ear.
Just captured an incredibly emotional moment between Michelle Waterson and Holly Holm immediately after the #UFCTampa main event. Real. pic.twitter.com/orRfFh6gpi
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) October 13, 2019
Michelle Waterson was asked about what the former champion said to her in the ears at the post-fight press conference.
“She just said she knew it wasn’t the outcome I wanted but it was – she just said it was a lot closer than what I probably feel like it is in my heart,” Waterson told reporters backstage after UFC on ESPN+ 19 and immediately broke into tears. “And that I’m still improving and that it’s still another step forward.”
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