# UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson
**UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson** (also known as UFC on FOX 22 and UFC Fight Night Sacramento) was a mixed martial arts event held by the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) on December 17, 2016, at the [Golden 1 Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-1-center) in [Sacramento, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-california), headlined by a five-round women's strawweight bout between Paige VanZant and Michelle Waterson.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) • [2](https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-night-sacramento-weigh-results?language_content_entity=en) Michelle Waterson won the main event by first-round submission, and the broadcast drew one of the largest non-title UFC audiences on network television.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) • [4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/20/14033324/waterson-vs-vanzant-draws-biggest-ufc-television-audience-in-nearly-three-years)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | December 17, 2016, Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) |
| Main event | Michelle Waterson defeated Paige VanZant by technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:21 of round 1, referee John McCarthy[3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) |
| Co-main event | Mickey Gall submitted Sage Northcutt by rear-naked choke at 1:40 of round 2[3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) |
| Broadcast | Main card live on FOX at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT; prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-night-sacramento-weigh-results?language_content_entity=en) |
| Attendance and gate | 13,136 attendance; live gate of $1,238,992[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) |
| Television ratings | 3.18 million average viewers, peaking at 4.8 million[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) |
## Background
The event was announced in October 2016, with No. 8-ranked strawweight [Paige VanZant](https://www.edgepedia.org/paige-vanzant) facing No. 12-ranked Michelle Waterson in the five-round main event. VanZant competed in her adopted hometown of Sacramento, and the event aired live on FOX.[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/vanzant-waterson-headline-sacramento-event?language_content_entity=en) Waterson, a former Invicta FC atomweight champion known as "The Karate Hottie," was returning from an injury layoff caused by multiple hand injuries; her previous win was a July 2015 submission of Angela Magana.[5](https://www.ufc.com/news/vanzant-waterson-headline-sacramento-event?language_content_entity=en) • [6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/17/13996896/ufc-on-fox-22-results-michelle-waterson-makes-quick-work-of-paige-vanzant) VanZant entered with a record of 7-2, coming off a head-kick knockout of [Bec Rawlings](https://www.edgepedia.org/bec-rawlings) in August 2016, and had finished second on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.[7](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/ufc-champions-cormier-and-cruz-serve-as-analysts-for-fox-ufc-fight-night-vanzant-vs-waterson) • [5](https://www.ufc.com/news/vanzant-waterson-headline-sacramento-event?language_content_entity=en)
The co-main event matched welterweight prospects [Sage Northcutt](https://www.edgepedia.org/sage-northcutt) (8-1) and [Mickey Gall](https://www.edgepedia.org/mickey-gall) (3-0), who had beaten former professional wrestler [CM Punk](https://www.edgepedia.org/cm-punk) earlier in 2016.[7](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/ufc-champions-cormier-and-cruz-serve-as-analysts-for-fox-ufc-fight-night-vanzant-vs-waterson) The card also featured the retirement fight of Urijah Faber, the founder of Team Alpha Male and VanZant's mentor, against British veteran Brad Pickett.[8](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/ufc/ufc-fight-night-paige-vanzant-michelle-waterson-sacramento-a7479946.html)
## Broadcast and coverage
The two-hour main card aired live on the FOX broadcast network and FOX Deportes, with UFC light heavyweight champion [Daniel Cormier](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-cormier) and bantamweight champion [Dominick Cruz](https://www.edgepedia.org/dominick-cruz) serving as desk analysts alongside host Jon Anik.[7](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/ufc-champions-cormier-and-cruz-serve-as-analysts-for-fox-ufc-fight-night-vanzant-vs-waterson) Six preliminary bouts aired on FS1 starting at 5 pm ET, and three fights streamed on UFC Fight Pass starting at 3:30 pm ET.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-night-sacramento-weigh-results?language_content_entity=en) At the official weigh-ins, VanZant weighed 116 pounds and Waterson 115.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-night-sacramento-weigh-results?language_content_entity=en)
## Fight results
**Main event.** Waterson stalked VanZant, landed a punch, and scored a head-and-arm throw. After the slam, VanZant scrambled, and Waterson took her back, locked a body triangle, and applied a rear-naked choke. VanZant fought the hold, but as her face turned red and then purple, referee John McCarthy stopped the fight at 3:21 of round one.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/17/13996896/ufc-on-fox-22-results-michelle-waterson-makes-quick-work-of-paige-vanzant) • [3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) Waterson said afterward that she had worked on chain submissions to test VanZant's famed toughness.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/17/13996896/ufc-on-fox-22-results-michelle-waterson-makes-quick-work-of-paige-vanzant) With the win, Waterson improved to 14-4, having won eight of her previous nine fights.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/17/13996896/ufc-on-fox-22-results-michelle-waterson-makes-quick-work-of-paige-vanzant)
**Co-main event.** Gall submitted Northcutt with a rear-naked choke at 1:40 of the second round, his third UFC victory of 2016.[3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) • [9](https://www.ufc.com/news/waterson-gall-jouban-get-big-victories-sacramento)
**Other main card bouts.** [Urijah Faber](https://www.edgepedia.org/urijah-faber) won his retirement fight against [Brad Pickett](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-pickett).[3](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003) In the main card opener, [Alan Jouban](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-jouban) earned a unanimous decision over Mike Perry, ending Perry's streak of two knockout wins and giving Jouban his third straight victory.[9](https://www.ufc.com/news/waterson-gall-jouban-get-big-victories-sacramento)
## Ratings and attendance
The event drew 13,136 spectators to the Golden 1 Center, with a live gate of $1,238,992.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) The broadcast averaged 3.18 million viewers and peaked at 4.8 million during the quarter hour covering Waterson's win, making it the second-most watched UFC on FOX event without a title fight, behind only the January 28, 2012 card featuring [Rashad Evans](https://www.edgepedia.org/rashad-evans) vs. Phil Davis.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night) • [4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/20/14033324/waterson-vs-vanzant-draws-biggest-ufc-television-audience-in-nearly-three-years) It was the best number for a UFC televised event in nearly three years, since a January 25, 2014 broadcast averaged 3,220,000 viewers, and the show aired head-to-head against an NFL game that drew 4,390,000 viewers on the [NFL Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfl-network).[4](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/20/14033324/waterson-vs-vanzant-draws-biggest-ufc-television-audience-in-nearly-three-years) The FS1 prelims drew 679,000 viewers.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night)
## References
1. [UFC on FOX 22: VanZant vs. Waterson, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/41372-ufc-fight-night)
2. [Fight Night Sacramento: Weigh in results, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-night-sacramento-weigh-results?language_content_entity=en)
3. [UFC on Fox 22 - VanZant vs. Waterson, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-on-Fox-22-VanZant-vs-Waterson-55003)
4. [Waterson vs. VanZant draws biggest UFC television audience in nearly three years, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/20/14033324/waterson-vs-vanzant-draws-biggest-ufc-television-audience-in-nearly-three-years)
5. [VanZant-Waterson to Headline Sacramento Event, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/vanzant-waterson-headline-sacramento-event?language_content_entity=en)
6. [UFC on FOX 22 results: Michelle Waterson makes quick work of Paige VanZant, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/12/17/13996896/ufc-on-fox-22-results-michelle-waterson-makes-quick-work-of-paige-vanzant)
7. [UFC Champions Cormier and Cruz Serve as Analysts for FOX UFC FIGHT NIGHT: VANZANT VS. WATERSON, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/ufc-champions-cormier-and-cruz-serve-as-analysts-for-fox-ufc-fight-night-vanzant-vs-waterson)
8. [UFC Fight Night: Paige VanZant and Michelle Waterson promise an exciting Sacramento showdown, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/ufc/ufc-fight-night-paige-vanzant-michelle-waterson-sacramento-a7479946.html)
9. [Waterson, Gall, Jouban get big victories in Sacramento, UFC.com](https://www.ufc.com/news/waterson-gall-jouban-get-big-victories-sacramento)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › UFC Fight Night events*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license