Michelle Nicolini

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]

Michelle Nicolini
BornMichelle Zonato Nicolini
(1982-01-05) January 5, 1982
Itú, São Paulo, Brazil
ResidenceSantos, São Paulo, Brazil
NationalityBrazilian
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight125 lb (57 kg; 8 st 13 lb)
DivisionStrawweight (125 lbs)
StyleBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
TeamCheckmat, Evolve MMA
RankBlack belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Mixed martial arts record
Total9
Wins6
By submission5
By decision1
Losses3
By decision3
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record
Representing  Brazil
Grappling
ADCC World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2011 Nottingham, UK -60kg[1]
Gold medal – first place 2013 Beijing, China -60kg[2]
Silver medal – second place 2015 Sao Paulo, Brazil -60kg[3]
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Espoo, Finland -60kg[4]
ADCC South American Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Rio de Janeiro -60kg
Gold medal – first place 2013 Rio de Janeiro -60kg
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2006 California, USA -53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2007 California, USA -53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2007 California, USA Absolute
Gold medal – first place 2010 California, USA -74 kg
Gold medal – first place 2011 California, USA -59 kg
Gold medal – first place 2012 California, USA -59 kg
Gold medal – first place 2013 California, USA -74 kg
Gold medal – first place 2014 California, USA -59 kg
Pan American Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2008 California, USA -53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2010 California, USA -53 kg
Gold medal – first place 2011 California, USA -58 kg
European Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2012 Lisbon, Portugal -74kg
Gold medal – first place 2012 Lisbon, Portugal Absolute
Gold medal – first place 2014 Lisbon, Portugal -58kg
Brazilian National Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2011 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -64kg
Gold medal – first place 2012 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Absolute
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -58kg
Worlds Nogi Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2008 California, USA +61.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2010 California, USA Absolute
Gold medal – first place 2011 California, USA +56.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2011 California, USA Absolute
Pan American No-Gi Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2017 California, USA +61.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2017 California, USA Absolute
European No-Gi Championship[5]
Gold medal – first place 2018 Rome, Italy +56.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2018 Rome, Italy Absolute
European Master Championship
Gold medal – first place 2022 Rome, Italy -64 kg

Grappling career

Nicolini was born in the city of Itú in Brazil. 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.

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
  1. "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2011". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  2. "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2013". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  3. "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2015". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  4. "ADCC Submission Fighting Championship 2017". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  5. "IBJJF Results". Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  6. "Michelle Nicolini talks about new MMA Challenge: "I do not want to be in the bottom" – GRACIEMAG". GRACIEMAG. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  7. "15 Best Female BJJ Fighters in the World". Elite Sports. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  8. "The 10 Best Female Grapplers Ever (2022 Update)". MiddleEasy. 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  9. "Michelle Nicolini Jiu Jitsu". BJJ Heroes. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  10. "Hall of fame". Hall of fame. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  11. "Polaris 1". Polaris Grappling. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  12. "Polaris 2". Polaris Grappling. November 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  13. "Polaris 21 Set to be First Event Outside UK". 26 August 2022.
  14. "Polaris 21 Full Results and Review". 25 September 2022.
  15. "Top Grapplers Compete At IBJJF Master International – Europe 2023". JitsMagazine. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  16. "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2022". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  17. "Michelle Nicolini Returns To MMA in February". bjjee.com. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  18. Graciemag Newsroom. "World champion Nicolini wins MMA debut". graciemag.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  19. "Why I Fought an 8x World Jiu Jitsu Player". lanchanagreen.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  20. "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.
  21. 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.
  22. Mann, Richard. "ADCC gold medalist Michelle Nicolini signs with One Championship". adcombat.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  23. Graciemag Newsroom. "Watch: Michelle Nicolini subs Mona Samir via RNC at ONE Championship". graciemag.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  24. Zahar, Chris. "Michelle Nicolini Dominates at ONE Championship's Kings Of Destiny". jiujitsutimes.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  25. "Michelle Nicolini Chokes Out Iryna Kyselova". fightnewsasia.com. 11 March 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  26. 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.
  27. Clements, Averi. "RESULTS: Tiffany Teo Defeats Michelle Nicolini At ONE Championship". jiujitsutimes.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  28. 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.
  29. Carroll, Peter (12 July 2019). "ONE Championship: Michelle Nicolini hands Angela Lee second consecutive loss". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  30. "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.
  31. ABS-CBN News. "MMA: ONE Championship postpones all-women's card due to COVID precautions". news.abs-cbn.com. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  32. Anderson, Jay (2021-09-03). "ONE: Empower — Xiong Jing Nan Gets by Dangerous Michelle Nicolini, Defends Title". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
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