Michelle Montague

Michelle Montague, known as "The Wild One," is a New Zealand fighter competing in the women's bantamweight division of the UFC.

Montague grew up in Matamata, in New Zealand's Waikato region, where she has credited early farm work with sharpening the grappling instincts that would define her career. She moved into organized wrestling, qualifying for a New Zealand Commonwealth Games wrestling squad, before shifting focus to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and amateur mixed martial arts. She later relocated to the United States to train full-time at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, where she works alongside Olympic gold medalist and fellow UFC competitor Kayla Harrison.

Before turning professional, Montague won gold in the lightweight division at the 2019 IMMAF World Championships in Bahrain, defeating a fellow New Zealander in the final and becoming the first Waikato athlete to medal at that event. She launched her pro career through the PFL Challenger Series and went on to compete for both PFL and Bellator MMA before earning a spot on the UFC roster.

A grappling-first fighter, Montague describes wrestling and jiu-jitsu as her "bread and butter." She uses wrestling entries to control range, works from top position to wear opponents down, and looks to finish with chokes and armbars once the fight hits the mat, while continuing to sharpen her striking.

Montague's move to the UFC made her the first woman from New Zealand to sign with the promotion, a distinction she has said matters only if backed up inside the cage. She validated it in her octagon debut, traveling to Perth, Australia to face Luana Carolina and winning a hard-fought decision on a card close to home, with New Zealand fans making the trip to support her.

Montague's identity as a fighter is tied to that journey, from a Waikato farm and a Commonwealth Games wrestling bid to the UFC cage, and to the pressure-heavy, submission-minded grappling style she has carried through every stop of her career. As the first Kiwi woman on the UFC roster, she also carries a symbolic weight for New Zealand MMA that she has embraced as part of her legacy.