Michelle Waterson-Gomez to return at UFC 287 against Luana Pinheiro

With the UFC’s 2023 calendar underway, the promotion continues to chip away at its April schedule.

The most recent addition is a strawweight tilt between veteran Michelle Waterson-Gomez and rising Brazilian Luana Pinheiro for UFC 287, an event scheduled for April 8 at a yet-to-be-announced location and venue.

Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto first reported the booking Monday.

Waterson-Gomez (18-10 MMA, 6-6 UFC) looks to bounce back from a quick July submission loss against Amanda Lemos. The defeat was the fourth in five outings for Waterson-Gomez, with the solo victory a split decision over Angela Hill.

Pinheiro (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was signed to the UFC in 2020 after a contract-earning performance on Dana White’s Contender Series. After a debut win by disqualification against Randa Markos, Pinheiro defeated Sam Hughes by unanimous decision in November 2021. Pinheiro was then booked to fight Jessica Penne in April. However, the bout was canceled.

The latest UFC 287 lineup now includes:

• Rob Font vs. Adrian Yanez
• Cynthia Calvillo vs. Loopy Godinez
• Luana Pinheiro vs. Michelle Waterson-Gomez

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.