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Michelle Nicolini

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Michelle Nicolini
BornMichelle Zonato Nicolini
(1982-01-05) January 5, 1982 (age 42)
Itú, São Paulo, Brazil
ResidenceSantos, São Paulo, Brazil
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

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

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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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Early career

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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

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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

[edit]
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

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  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. ^ a b c d e f g "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. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  7. ^ "15 Best Female BJJ Fighters in the World". Elite Sports. 30 September 2022. 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. May 2023. 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. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  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. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  24. ^ Zahar, Chris (21 April 2017). "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 (9 November 2018). "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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