Michelle Waterson family comes from a mixed background of Thai mother Metta Waterson and American father Waterson Sr. Michelle grew up in Colorado.
Waterson is a professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She previously held the Invicta FC Atomweight Championship title. Furthermore, Michelle is amongst the Hottest Female MMA Fighters in 2023.
Her passion for sports started with gymnastics, but she started practicing Karate at the age of ten due to financial constraints.
Michelle has earned a black belt in American Freestyle Karate and trained in various other combat sports like Wushu, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, and Wrestling.
The 5 feet 3 inches tall athlete gained fame as a participant in the Muay Thai-based reality show Fight Girls on the Oxygen Network. She debuted in MMA on February 16, 2007, at the Ring of Fire 28: Evolution.
Waterson most recently faced Luana Pinheiro at UFC 287. She lost via a split decision in a closely contested bout at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Michelle Marrried Life With Joshua Gomez
Michelle Waterson husband Joshua Gomez is a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual. They tied the knot on 14th July 2012.
The couple’s lavish wedding took place a year after Michelle announced that she was expecting their first child in 2010.
They got engaged soon after the announcement and started making arrangements for the most special day of their life.
The Karate Hottie walked down the aisle with flowers in her hand donning a stunning bridal dress, whereas Gomez graced the occasion with a gentleman’s suit.
Joshua Is Veteran US Army
Joshua was born to Grace Gomez on January 11, 1985 in Albuquerque. He is also a former staff sergeant at the United States Air Force.
Gomez joined the armed forces in July 2003 where he taught air base defense. He was ranked fifth in the nation for his weight class in the 377th Security Forces Squadron.
In March 2009, Sergeant Gomez traveled to San Antonio for the Air Force boxing competition, with plans to continue to the Armed Forces Championships and the Nationals.
During the 2009 Armed Forces Boxing Championship at Fort Huachuca, he was one of the two airmen who returned to Lackland with a medal.
Joshua won gold in the 152-pound weight class, achieving his goal since winning silver in 2008. In his championship bout on May 1, 2009, Gomez outpointed Army boxer Reyes Marquez from Fort Myer, Virginia.
After leaving the Air Force, Gomez worked as a life agent for the New York Life Insurance Company for almost three years and began working as a financial advisor.
Amid all this, the U.S. Armed Forces amateur boxing champion graduated from Wayland Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2012.
Does Michelle Waterson Have Kids?
Michelle Waterson has a daughter named Araya Gomez. The 12-year-old Araya completed her fifth-grade graduation in June 2022.
Likewise, Michelle has also started an Instagram page for her offspring which has gained around 4,000 followers. The page features photos and videos of Araya, including her interest in acting.
The former Atomweight champion fighter has shared photos of Araya’s role in the 5th-grade play “The Wizard of Oz”, where she played the role of one of the Munchkins.
Araya is highly influenced by her athletic parents, as she also seems to follow in their footsteps. She is interested in boxing and gymnastics.
Michelle has also shared images of her vacationing with her hubby and daughter on Araya’s Instagram page. The Gomez menage has gone on lavish trips to destinations like Disneyland, and Araya is pictured enjoying herself with her parents.
Michelle Waterson Parents
Michelle Waterson parents are Metta Waterson and Waterson Sr. They raised their three descendants in the United States.
Metta also has an Instagram account where she occasionally shares pictures of her children and grandchildren.
Before marrying Michelle’s father, Metta had a previous relationship and had a son named Max Jonjit with her former partner.
Waterson Sr. surprised his daughter by driving from Arizona to see them as they are often busy training and traveling.
Despite being a quiet supporter, her father has always given her the best advice, believed in her, and encouraged her to dream big. Likewise, she remains equally thankful to her grandfather Joe citing his upbringing and caring nature.
Michelle Waterson Siblings
Michelle has two older siblings named Shanna Waterson and Max Jonjit. Michelle is the youngest in the lineage of three.
The UFC fighter always looked up to her elder siblings for inspiration while growing up. She recently wished Jonjit a happy birthday expressing gratitude for his support during tough times.
Shanna and Max have shared pictures on their social media pages, showcasing their childhood memories and growing up together.
They have also been frequently present at the matches of their youngest kin, supporting and cheering her from the stands.
Shanna Waterson
Michelle Waterson sister Shanna Waterson works as a hairstylist. She is also an Instagram influencer with approximately 26.5k followers.
The 34-year-old frequently shares beautiful photos of herself and has linked her hair page, which features images of different braid styles and nail art, in her bio.
Additionally, Shanna has been a paralegal/principal investigator at the Office of John W. McKendree, Lawyer, and Consultant since April 2012.
Before this, she worked as a surgical technician at Dever Health for nearly two years. Shanna obtained an associate degree in surgical technology from Cambridge College in Aurora, Colorado, in 2008.
Shanna is the mother to her son Ahmari, born on April 10, 2004. She is currently in a relationship with Tijon Clark, the owner of Special Blending Recording.
Tijon is a mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Max Jonjit
Michelle’s half-brother Max Jonjit is a former avionics mechanic at the US Army. He served for nearly six years since joining in September 2008.
Max graduated from Westwood College, Denver North, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in computer animation in 2007 per his Linkedin.
Jonjit previously worked as a production specialist at Instant Imprints OC for almost four years before joining the Army.
His Instagram page portrays him as a soldier, a samurai, a media artist, a scuba diver, a traveler, and a spaceman.
Jonjit has also shared a picture of his biological father on his Instagram account and explained that he never had the chance to meet him, but his mother had an old photo of him.
Max is happily wed to B Jonjit since walking down the aisle on September 4, 2014. They are raising a daughter named Jade Mylan.