The UFC on Tuesday confirmed the main event of UFC 26, in Las Vegas for May 8. Marina Rodriguez got a work visa to enter the USA and was released to face Michelle Waterson in the most important match on the schedule.
Both strawweight contenders will fight at flyweight in this match after accepting this fight on short notice. The bout between Rodriguez and Waterson was settled last week, but the stalemate caused by the bureaucracy in the documentation worried the UFC, which only managed to solve the problem this Tuesday.
Rodriguez made an undewhelming UFC debut in September 2018 as she went to a majority draw with Randa Markos. In her last fight the Brazillian dropped a split decision to Carla Esparza, but her response was emphatic.
Meanwhile Waterson is coming off a previous appearance in which her fight was elevated to main-event status on short notice. She’s also looking to win her second straight after capturing a split-decision victory over the rough-and-tumble Angela Hill last September.
The North American is in the ninth position in the division’s classification and her most remarkable triumphs were over Hill herself, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Paige VanZant.
“It has been insane. It really has. But, with every fight I’ve had throughout my entire fight career, there is always a lesson to be learned,” Waterson said.
“The lesson that I am taking away is I just realized in life there will always be opportunities but the question is are you ready if the opportunity comes?
“I was supposed to fight, then I wasn’t then I got this opportunity on Monday and it’s not something I had to do, and I don’t think you should take a fight because you had to, but because you want to and I wanted to. I was excited about the challenge, I was excited for the opportunity to step up to the plate, go into Vegas, five rounds, 125, let’s go.” Waterson added.
