Behind the scenes at Michelle Waterson’s ESPN ‘Body Issue’ cover shoot

Go behind the scenes of Michelle Waterson’s ESPN The Magazine cover shoot for the 2017 ‘Body Issue’ with exclusive photo and video, courtesy of ESPN The Magazine.

Waterson, 31, was announced Tuesday as one of the magazine’s cover athletes for this year’s edition of the annual feature, which sees decorated figures across sports strip down and showcase their athletic physiques. This year, Waterson joins the likes of New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, and Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, along with many others.

A variety of big names in MMA have posed nude for the ‘Body Issue’ in the past, including Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, Miesha Tate, and Cris Cyborg.

Waterson (14-5) remains one of the most popular female fighters in the UFC and is currently the No. 6 ranked strawweight contender, according to the promotion’s media-generated rankings. Exclusive photo and video from her shoot can be seen below.

ESPN The Magazine: photo by Eric Lutzens