Michelle Zonato Nicolini - BJJ Hall of Famer

Michelle Zonato Nicolini is a BJJ Champion who also competes in MMA. She was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on the 5th of January 1982. Michelle Nicolini was one of the best women BJJ black belt fighters. Becoming the most synonymous BJJ women fighter. Michelle Nicolini is one of the skill-oriented and passion-driven female BJJ practitioners in the world who has relocated to Singapore to coach at Evolve MMA. Michele Nicolini was the 8-times Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion with 20 years of fighting experience. Having built up years of experience as an expert grappler, she competed in the One Championships as her first professional MMA competition.

Michelle Nicolini was born on the 5th of January, 1982 in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her start in the martial art world was related to Capoeira, which she started at the age of 14. She stopped training Capoeira 3 years later and changed her focus to Jiu Jitsu, training under Robert Drysdale, who awarded her the black belt.

Nicolini always liked to fight, even with her sister, when she was a kid. Back in her early days of training, she wanted more competition to test her technical abilities. She went for judo but her friend Robert told her about BJJ. She decided to give it a try to BJJ and with the very first training lesson, she fell in love with the BJJ training.

Nicoloni was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She lived in a small city. She used to play outside all the time. Nicolini was mischievous among her siblings and always ready for battling with them. Her parents enrolled her in martial arts to give her an out for her aggression. At the age of 17, she joined BJJ training for learning discipline and self-defence.

When Michelle Nicolini was a white belt, she lost her first three competitions, and felt frustrated and thought about not competing anymore. Certainly, it didn’t happen and after a few months, she tried again and started her winning streak. Worlds used to have brown and black belts fighting in the same division, (in 2006), and as a brown belt, she had to face a black belt in the final. Nicolini submitted her to become the 1st time World Champion of the Brown and Black belt division. But it has been 20 years of training and fighting, so many challenges to get here.

Among the most decorated competitors, Nicolini was one who began her MMA journey with a professional cage debut in 2011. Furthermore, Nicolini claimed that there was an organisation in Peru called Inka Fight, and they contacted her to fight there. Although she had never done any stand-up martial art before besides Capoeira at the age of 14. Nicolini accepted this debut offer because she loved adventurers. It was not easy.

With fully focused on her dreams of World Championship glory in the cage, she retired from the BJJ competition in 2016 and is reaping the benefits. She is determined to utilize her world-beating BJJ to devastating effect.

Michell Nicolini is a multiple-time black belt World Champion in BJJ, who recently relocated to Singapore to train with Evolve Fight Team. She spent 20 years of blood and sweat and became 3rd degree, a black belt holder, and 8 times World Champion.

Michell Nicolini is the world's coolest grappler and started her early career in jiu-jitsu when her friend told her about BJJ. She started training in BJJ at age of 17 and fought her first professional BJJ debut in 2006 at World Championship. Her first debut ended up with great success.

After 5 years of great success in BJJ, she sizzled her success in MMA at the next level. In 2011, in her professional MMA debut, she won against Mejia in the first round which was ultimately successful in accelerating her MMA career.

Nicolini made her pro BJJ combats and won these titles to shine her BJJ career with Gold Medals.

• The IBJJF champion won gold at the black belt level. She is an 8-time World Champion
• She is a 3-time Euro Championship winner
• 3-Time Brazilian Nationals Champion
• 3-Time Pan American Championship Champion

Nicolini is a multiple-time ADCC Submission Wrestling Gold winner. Nicolini signed One Championship to continue her MMA career. After winning her first debut match in MMA in 2011, she returned in 2014 and secured a win with an armbar submission against Lanchana Green. Her One Championship contract gave her huge success in her MMA career.

Later she signed with Legacy Fighting. In her debut promotion match, she dominated Norma and has not fought since. Her success and devastating win against the master of destiny gave her the inaugural belt earlier this year with a decision OF victory over Japanese Yamaguchi.

Michelle Nicolini’s win against Angela Lee boosted her confidence. She secured a welcoming victory in the fourth round by decision. Some people predicted this to be a teeth-grinding competition of grappling and striking, but the 37 years old Brazilian proved them wrong by showcasing a one-sided dominant exhibition of a premium set of skills and advanced techniques.

Nicolini transitioned into a full mount halfway through the round and seemed to be one step ahead of her rival every time she tried to escape. Lee tried to make the match stand up to the battle in the final round. After 15 minutes of the fight, a superb technical exchange put both fighters on the ground, the Sao Paula native earned the decision in her favor and was declared a winner.

Michelle Nicolini had her MMA debut with one of pro fighters as a Flyweight. Michelle Nicolini defeated Cristina Mejia via armbar submission in the first round. The battle happened in Surco Rose Garden Coliseum at Inka FC 11. Nicolini put the slick ground game to work by swiftly tapping out local fighter Cristine Mejia. In 2011, Nicolini had the opportunity to fight against Cristina Mejia on the short notice of 10 days. She was ready and prepared for the opportunity.

Nicolini fought the Championship Title battle against Xion Jing Nan in Singapore. In the event, Xiong Xing NAN took down Michelle Nicolini via decision in the World Championship. It was clear that Nan already knew that Nicolini would take the fight to the ground and Nan did not allow Nicolini to strangle her during the whole fight and ultimately won the match.  Xian Jing Nan scored a dominant victory over Michelle Nicolini.

This was the most memorable bout for Michelle Nicolini because Xian Jing Nan didn't fall for her ground battle.

Michelle Nicolini was one of the greatest women in BJJ to ever compete in Jiu Jitsu. She made her exceptionally dedicated abilities on the floor and on the stage where she always unleashed battle moves. 

In 2014, Michelle Nicolini was inducted to the most honorable position in the IBJJF Hall of Fame for not only her victories on the mat but off the mat in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The IBJJF inducted her into the BJK hall of fame which is reserved for those who have won the greatest titles on the mats but have also made positive contributions to their communities and have upheld the values of jiu-jitsu to the highest degree.

Michelle Nicolini has just retired from the BJJ competitions following the defeat in the finals of the division in Worlds. Eight-times World Champion Michelle Nicolini has announced her resignation after the 2016 IBJJF World Championship but would continue her participation in the ADCC No-Gi Competitions.

She retired from BJJ to focus on her MMA career and to expand her experience in cage tournaments as it is not easy and she loves to accept the challenges to outgrow her previous versions.

Michelle Nicolini Gi Tournaments at the Black Belt Level 

Years	Gi Tournaments	Medal
2017	ADCC World Championship	Bronze
2015	ADCC World Championship	Silver
2014	Euros Championship	Gold
2013	ADCC World Championship	Silver
2013	ADCC South American Championship	Gold
2011	ADCC World Championship	Gold
2011	Brazilian National Championship	Gold
2008	Pan American Championship	Gold

Michelle Nicolini No-Gi Tournaments at Black Belt Level 

Years	No-Gi Tournaments	Medal
2018	IBJJF Euros No-Gi Championship	Gold
2018	IBJJF Euros No-Gi Championship	Gold
2017	IBJJF Pan Ams No-Gi Championship	Gold
2017	IBJJF Pan Ams No-Gi Championship	Gold
2011	IBJJF World No-Gi Championship	Gold
2011	IBJJF World No-Gi Championship	Gold
2010	IBJJF World No-Gi Championship	Gold
2008	IBJJF World No-Gi Championship	Gold

Michelle Nicolini on retirement from BJJ

Every Michelle Nicolini Win

BJJ Scout: Michelle Nicolini Guard Study

Michelle Nicolini MMA Half Guard BJJ Breakdown

Photo credit: @miznicolini