| Michelle Nicolini | |
| Birth Name: | Michelle Zonato Nicolini |
| Birth Date: | 5 January 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Itú, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Residence: | Santos, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 5 |
| Weight Lb: | 125 |
| Weight Class: | Strawweight (125 lbs) |
| Style: | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Team: | Checkmat, Evolve MMA |
| Rank: | Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| Mma Subwin: | 5 |
| Mma Decwin: | 1 |
| Mma Decloss: | 3 |
| Sherdog: | 83784 |
| Medaltemplates: | [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
|-| Loss| align=center|6–3| Xiong Jingnan| Decision (unanimous)| ONE: Empower| | align=center|5| align=center|5:00| Kallang, Singapore| |-|Win|align=center| 6–2|Angela Lee|Decision (unanimous)| ONE: Masters of Destiny|||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia||-| Loss| align=center|5–2| Tiffany Teo| Decision (unanimous)| ONE: Heart of the Lion| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Kallang, Singapore||-| Win| align=center| 5–1| Iryna Kyselova| Submission (rear-naked choke)| ONE: Visions of Victory| | align=center|1| align=center|2:26|Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia||-| Win| align=center| 4–1| Irina Mazepa| Submission (armbar)| ONE: Kings of Destiny| | align=center|1| align=center|2:11|Pasay, Philippines||-| Win| align=center| 3–1| Mona Samir| Submission (rear-naked choke)| ONE: Defending Honor| | align=center|1| align=center|2:16|Kallang, Singapore||-| Loss| align=center| 2–1| Norma Rueda Center| Decision (unanimous)| Legacy FC 36| | align=center|3| align=center|5:00|Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States ||-| Win| align=center| 2–0| Lanchana Green| Submission (armbar)| M4TC 13: Nemesis| | align=center|1| align=center|2:27|Tyne and Wear, England||-| Win| align=center| 1–0| Cristina Meija| Submission (armbar)| Inka FC 11| | align=center|1| align=center|2:36|Santiago de Surco, Peru||-