Rashad Evans reveals what Michelle Waterson-Gomez told him following emotional UFC Vegas 79 loss

24/09/2023 15:00

Michelle Waterson-Gomez was overwhelmed by emotion as she broke down in tears just after the referee stopped her fight against Marina Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 79.

There was no controversy with the stoppage; Waterson-Gomez absorbed a ton of damage, several cuts opened on her face and Rodriguez battered her with punches, elbows, and knees throughout the fight. Still, Waterson vented her frustration that she couldn't continue.

Afterward, Waterson had tears in her eyes when she embraced UFC Hall of Famer Rashad Evans, who served as her teammate for many years while both fighters trained under head coach Greg Jackson at his gym in New Mexico. Evans was an analyst for the UFC Vegas 79 broadcast and later revealed what Waterson-Gomez said to him as she left the octagon.

"It was tough," Evans said during the UFC Vegas 79 post-fight show. "Because at the end of the night, when she came to me, she said, 'I didn't want him to stop it. I wanted to come back. I wanted to come back and I know could come back.'"

Evans sympathized with Waterson's desire to continue, even though there was no arguing the stoppage after Rodriguez brutalized her for the better part of two rounds. There were moments in the first round where it appeared Rodriguez was going to end the fight, although Waterson-Gomez valiantly survived the onslaught.

Eventually, Waterson-Gomez could just no longer weather the storm.

"I've known Michelle for the longest time," Evans said. "We go back to Jackson's and when she was named 'Peanut.' She was one of the guys on the team and she was just always there, just going through the workouts we did.

"It was hard for me see her in that moment because I know what it's like to want to keep going, but you just can't."

According to UFC statistics, Rodriguez outstruck Waterson-Gomez by a dramatic margin of 90 to 16 in total strikes. Waterson-Gomez also endured several cuts, which led to blood streaming down her face from the damage inflicted by Rodriguez during the fight.

The loss dropped Waterson-Gomez to 1-6 in her past seven UFC appearances. She's lost four bouts in a row overall.