Michelle Montague (Credit: Bellator Champions Series)
Michelle Montague: Snatching Necks and Grabbing Respect in Her Rise to Stardom
If you haven’t heard the name Michelle Montague, you’re likely not paying attention. The 30-year old women’s featherweight has exploded into contention and relevancy just five fights into her professional career. The number five is significant because it’s not only the amount of fights she’s had as a pro, but it’s also the amount of wins she has in those same amount of fights, and the amount of submission victories she has. Last weekend at Bellator Champions Series in Dublin, Montague improved her undefeated professional record to 5-0 with yet another rear-naked choke.
Training out of American Top Team in Florida, Montague has picked up all of her wins by rear-naked choke and has done so with two coming in the first round, two in the second, and just one time has she gone to a third round. Known as “The Wild One” Montague does not back down during the fight and her continued dominance is a breath of fresh air in a women’s featherweight division looking for bigger names.
Hailing from New Zealand, Michelle Montague is one of few women from the area to make it on the bigger stage and she’s making the most of it. Advocating for not just more fighters in Australia and New Zealand, but specifically women from the region, Montague is paving the way and leading by example. Having learned from one of the very best women fighters in MMA history, Kayla Harrison, a former PFL champion, Montague is not only learning skills, but how to pave a bigger path for those around her. Before her most recent fight against Karolina Sobek, Montague discussed the impact that Harrison has had on her both in and outside of the training room.
“It’s cool, right? What Ronda [Rousey] did in the UFC, Kayla [Harrison] did in these other organizations and so dominant in doing so, super well-rounded, and now doing the same thing in the UFC. She’s my best friend here as well so all we do outside the gym and inside, it just goes hand-in-hand and I think it makes us stronger as people. You keep each other accountable, you have your training partner’s best interests at heart. I think all-in-all it brings up your mind and physical strength ten fold training with someone like that.”
Making her Bellator promotional debut at Bellator Champions Series: Dublin, Michelle Montague arrived and made a statement that she could and should be considered as a title contender sooner rather than later. Her path is one that can be influential to those that come after her, but Montague respects the Australian and New Zealand fighters who also paved the way for her in her career.
No news was good news for the Kiwi fighter as the PFL and Bellator promotions merged together in the beginning of 2024 and now that she’s been on both stages, her debut with Bellator could lead to only big fights moving forward. Reigning champion Cris Cyborg has been in several rumors about her next title fight and opponent, although Montague may not be next in line for a title fight, she’s next in line for stardom.
Good on the microphone and camera in terms of showing her character and selling a fight, Michelle Montague has thrived both inside and outside of the cage. In a division where new blood is needed, in a promotion that takes pride in finding young talent and riding with them to the top, Montague is a name that should be remembered by fans and warned to her future opponents. They’ll need to protect their neck and limbs, because the more snatching and submitting she continues to do, the quicker she will rise to being an undeniable star.
