Michelle trains at London Shootfighters - the UK's leading Mixed Martial Arts gym and home to Olympic boxers and wrestlers besides UFC and Dream fighters. London Shootfighters consider fighting to be a privilege and as their first female competitor Michelle has worked hard to prove that she has what it takes to be taken to an elite level in the sport.

Michelle started training in Thai boxing in 2002 at Woking Thai in Surrey. A change of gym in 2003 saw Michelle commence training with England's K1 legend Gary Turner in Camberley alongside partner James Mc Sweeney (now a UFC heavyweight). In 2005 Michelle travelled to Holland with McSweeney and Turner to train at 'Fight Factory Carbin' headed by coach Lucin Carbin. This is where she developed her stand up in the Dutch style of K1 (Kick-boxing). It was also in Holland that Michelle began to compete in K1 fights.

With a run of professional fights under her belt, in 2008 Michelle started to travel into London to train with Paul Ivans & Alexis Demetriades at London Shootfighters to further her game in the UK. This lead to a cross over into MMA which she fell in love with. Diminutive at 5'4 and 50k Michelle has found it tough to find girls to practise with and mainly trains and spars with guys such as the formidable and undefeated Bantam weight Giorgio Andrews and even Olympic boxing adolescents.

Michelle's debut MMA fight will be at UCMMA on December 4th. The fight will be Sky televised and will be UCxMMA's first ever female fight. Michelle is also the subject of a forthcoming Arid Pictures documentary about why in 2010 many people are still uncomfortable with women fighters.

"My ideal is for Michelle to fight like a man. When people see her fight I want them to forget she's a girl and just see her as an amazing fighter" Alexis Demetriades (coach)

"Fighting is a privilege to be earned. Anyone who trains as hard as Michelle does and has her passion deserves to fight." Alexis Demetriades (coach)