As if the UFC’s return to Michigan couldn’t get any better, the promotion announced on Tuesday that strawweight contenders Michelle Waterson and Tecia Torres are set to fight at UFC 218 in Detroit. The night’s main card airs live on pay-per-view, with prelims split between Fox Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Waterson (14-5) will be looking to get herself back in the win column after she was dropped and choked out by Rose Namajunas at UFC on FOX 24 in April. The former Invicta FC atomweight champion’s most recent win was an emphatic rear-naked choke stoppage of Paige VanZant in the UFC on FOX 22 main event last December. Injuries have prevented Waterson from having a more active schedule, hence just three Octagon appearances since 2015.
Torres (9-1) is on a two-fight winning streak, including a “Performance of the Night” submission win vs. Juliana Lima in July. The 28-year-old had never won by stoppage in any of her previous victories prior to her second-round rear-naked choke of the Brazilian. Much like Waterson, Torres has a win over Paige VanZant but a loss to Namajunas, although those fights went the distance.
The latest UFC rankings have Torres at #5 and Waterson at #6 in the 115-pound division.
UFC 218 takes place at the Little Caesar’s Arena on Saturday, December 2nd and is headlined by a featherweight title fight between champion Max Holloway and ex-lightweight titleholder Frankie Edgar.