Brazilian practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts
Michelle Zonato Nicolini or Michelle Nicolini (born January 5, 1982) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist (MMA).[ 6] Among the most accomplished female grapplers of all time,[ 7] [ 8] Nicolini holds third place for most IBJJF World Championship titles, with eight wins.[ 9] She is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame .[ 10]
Grappling career
Nicolini was born in the city of Itú in Brazil.[citation needed ] At the age of 14 she started Capoeira stopping 3 years later to focus on jiu-jitsu, training under Robert Drysdale , who she received her black belt from.
In 2015 she competed twice at Polaris Pro Grappling beating Angelica Galvao via toehold[ 11] and losing to Gezary Matuda via armbar.[ 12]
Nicolini was scheduled to compete against Ffion Davies at Polaris 21 on September 24, 2022, for the promotion's inaugural bantamweight title[ 13] Davies withdrew from the match and was replaced by Ashley Bendle on short notice. Nicolini defeated Bendle by split decision and won the Polaris bantamweight title.[ 14]
Nicolini competed in the IBJJF Master International Championship - Europe on April 30, 2023 where she won gold medals in the lightweight and absolute divisions at Master 2.[ 15]
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary
In the major IBJJF gi championships at black belt level she is a:-
8x World Championship champion
3x Pan-American Championship champion
3x European Championship champion
3x Brazilian Nationals champion
2022 European Master 1 Lightweight Champion[ 16]
In the major IBJJF Nogi championships at black belt level she is a:-
4x World Nogi Championship champion
2x Pan Ams Nogi Championship champion
2x Euros Nogi Championship champion
She is also a 4x ADCC medal winner – 1x Gold, 2x Silver and 1x Bronze.
By winning the Brazilian Nationals Nogi Championship Michelle would become the first female athlete to complete a clean sweep of winning a gold medal at black belt level in both gi and no-gi at all four major championships.[citation needed ]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Nicolini was scheduled to face Cristina Meija at Inka FC 11 on June 23, 2011, in her mixed martial arts debut.[ 17] She won the fight by a first-round submission.[ 18]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Lanchana Green at M4TC 13: Nemesis on February 22, 2014. She won the fight by a first-round submission.[ 19]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Norma Rueda Center at Legacy FC 36 October 17, 2014.[ 20] Nicolini suffered her first professional loss, as Norma won by unanimous decision.[ 21]
ONE Championship
On July 25, 2016, it was revealed that Nicolini had signed with the Singapore-based fight promotion ONE Championship .[ 22]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Mona Samir at ONE Championship: Defending Honor on November 16, 2016. She won the fight by a first-round submission.[ 23]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Irina Mazepa at ONE Championship: Kings of Destiny on April 21, 2017. She won the fight by a first-round submission.[ 24]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Iryna Kyselova at ONE Championship: Visions of Victory on March 8, 2018. She won the fight by a first-round submission.[ 25]
Nicolini was scheduled to face Tiffany Teo, in a ONE strawweight title eliminator, at ONE Championship: Heart of the Lion on November 9, 2018.[ 26] Teo won the fight by unanimous decision, handing Nicolini her second professional loss.[ 27]
Nicolini was scheduled to face the reigning ONE Women's Atomweight champion Angela Lee , in a strawweight bout, at ONE Championship: Masters of Destiny on July 12, 2019.[ 28] Despite coming into the bout as an underdog, and being on the receiving end of several uncalled fouls, Nicolini won the fight by unanimous decision.[ 29]
Nicolini challenged the reigning ONE Women's Strawweight World champion Xiong Jingnan at ONE Championship: Empower on September 3, 2021.[ 30] It was originally scheduled for May 28, 2021, before being postponed due to COVID-19 .[ 31] She lost the bout via unanimous decision, unable to get her opponent to the ground and losing the striking exchanges.[ 32]
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown
9 matches
6 wins
3 losses
By knockout
0
0
By submission
5
0
By decision
1
3
Res.
Record
Opponent
Method
Event
Date
Round
Time
Location
Notes
Loss
6–3
Xiong Jingnan
Decision (unanimous)
ONE: Empower
September 3, 2021
5
5:00
Kallang , Singapore
For the ONE Strawweight Championship (125 lb) .
Win
6–2
Angela Lee
Decision (unanimous)
ONE: Masters of Destiny
July 12, 2019
3
5:00
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
Loss
5–2
Tiffany Teo
Decision (unanimous)
ONE: Heart of the Lion
November 9, 2018
3
5:00
Kallang , Singapore
Win
5–1
Iryna Kyselova
Submission (rear-naked choke)
ONE: Visions of Victory
March 9, 2018
1
2:26
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia
Win
4–1
Irina Mazepa
Submission (armbar)
ONE: Kings of Destiny
April 21, 2017
1
2:11
Pasay , Philippines
Win
3–1
Mona Samir
Submission (rear-naked choke)
ONE: Defending Honor
November 16, 2016
1
2:16
Kallang , Singapore
Loss
2–1
Norma Rueda Center
Decision (unanimous)
Legacy FC 36
October 17, 2014
3
5:00
Albuquerque, New Mexico , United States
Win
2–0
Lanchana Green
Submission (armbar)
M4TC 13: Nemesis
February 22, 2014
1
2:27
Tyne and Wear , England
Win
1–0
Cristina Meija
Submission (armbar)
Inka FC 11
June 23, 2011
1
2:36
Santiago de Surco , Peru
References
^ "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2011" . Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
^ "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2013" . Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
^ "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2015" . Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
^ "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2017" . Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
^ a b c d e f g "IBJJF Results" . Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
^ "Michelle Nicolini talks about new MMA Challenge: "I do not want to be in the bottom" – GRACIEMAG" . GRACIEMAG . Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014 .
^ "15 Best Female BJJ Fighters in the World" . Elite Sports . 30 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-20 .
^ "The 10 Best Female Grapplers Ever (2022 Update)" . MiddleEasy . 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2022-11-20 .
^ "Michelle Nicolini Jiu Jitsu" . BJJ Heroes . Retrieved 25 March 2018 .
^ "Hall of fame" . Hall of fame . Retrieved 2021-11-23 .
^ "Polaris 1" . Polaris Grappling. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018 .
^ "Polaris 2" . Polaris Grappling. November 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018 .
^ "Polaris 21 Set to be First Event Outside UK" . 26 August 2022.
^ "Polaris 21 Full Results and Review" . 25 September 2022.
^ "Top Grapplers Compete At IBJJF Master International – Europe 2023" . JitsMagazine . May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023 .
^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2022" . International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation .
^ "Michelle Nicolini Returns To MMA in February" . bjjee.com . 17 January 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Graciemag Newsroom. "World champion Nicolini wins MMA debut" . graciemag.com . Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ "Why I Fought an 8x World Jiu Jitsu Player" . lanchanagreen.co.uk . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ "Michelle Nicolini on Legacy FC MMA Fight: 'If She Takes Me Down, That's When My Game Starts' " . bjjee.com . 16 October 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ MMA UNO Staff (21 October 2014). "El campeón mundial de Jiu-Jitsu, Michelle Nicolini es derrotada en su debut en el Legacy FC" . mma.uno . Retrieved 3 June 2022 .
^ Mann, Richard. "ADCC gold medalist Michelle Nicolini signs with One Championship" . adcombat.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Graciemag Newsroom. "Watch: Michelle Nicolini subs Mona Samir via RNC at ONE Championship" . graciemag.com . Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Zahar, Chris (21 April 2017). "Michelle Nicolini Dominates at ONE Championship's Kings Of Destiny" . jiujitsutimes.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ "Michelle Nicolini Chokes Out Iryna Kyselova" . fightnewsasia.com . 11 March 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Kwek, Kimberly (27 February 2020). "MMA: S'pore's Tiffany Teo fighting for a shot at One Championship world title" . straitstimes.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Clements, Averi (9 November 2018). "RESULTS: Tiffany Teo Defeats Michelle Nicolini At ONE Championship" . jiujitsutimes.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Atkin, Nick (11 July 2019). "One Championship: Angela Lee 'broke my feelings', says Michelle Nicolini ahead of Kuala Lumpur clash" . scmp.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ Carroll, Peter (12 July 2019). "ONE Championship: Michelle Nicolini hands Angela Lee second consecutive loss" . mmafighting.com . Retrieved 1 September 2021 .
^ "Exclusive | ONE Championship: 'Thai Kitten' Grace Cleveland joins atomweight grand prix, Empower card gets new date" . South China Morning Post . 2021-07-30. Retrieved 2021-07-30 .
^ ABS-CBN News. "MMA: ONE Championship postpones all-women's card due to COVID precautions" . news.abs-cbn.com . Retrieved 22 May 2021 .
^ Anderson, Jay (2021-09-03). "ONE: Empower — Xiong Jing Nan Gets by Dangerous Michelle Nicolini, Defends Title" . Cageside Press . Retrieved 2021-09-03 .
External links