Michael Pixley
Michael Pixley · Illinois, United States
A college wrestling champion, he submitted Nicholas Meregali at ADCC 2024 while still a purple belt and is now a black belt at Pedigo Submission Fighting.
- matches at the 2024 ADCC World Championship, with two submissions, while still a purple belt
- 4
- U.S. college wrestling titles (NAIA 2016 and NCAA Division II 2019)
- 2
- IBJJF No-Gi world titles at the colored belts
- 3
Who is Michael Pixley
Michael Pixley is from Illinois and started wrestling at age 8. In college he was an NAIA runner-up as a freshman at Lindsey Wilson, NAIA champion in 2016 at Grand View and NCAA Division II champion in 2019 at McKendree, always at 184 lb.
In Jiu-Jitsu he trains at Pedigo Submission Fighting, Heath Pedigo’s team, known as Daisy Fresh. He won the IBJJF No-Gi Worlds as a blue belt in 2021 and 2022 and, in March 2024, won the ADCC West Coast Trials in the under 99 kg (218 lb) division.
The 2024 ADCC World Championship in Las Vegas is where his name went around the world. Still a purple belt, he submitted Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira in the round of 16 and Nicholas Meregali in the quarterfinal, in a match in which the Brazilian dislocated his shoulder on a takedown. He lost the semifinal to Rafael Lovato Jr. and the bronze medal match to Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, finishing fourth. VF Comunica told his story at the time.
In 2025, as a brown belt, he won the IBJJF No-Gi Pan and the No-Gi Worlds and received his black belt from Heath Pedigo on the Worlds podium in December. He made his black belt debut in February 2026 at the IBJJF Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix, losing to Gustavo Batista in the quarterfinal, and returned to ADCC in September, in Kraków, Poland, where he lost in the round of 16.
Wins
- 2025Natã TencaNo-Gi Worlds, brown belt · points
- 2025Milo KetterhagenNo-Gi Pan, brown belt, final · submission
- 2024Nicholas MeregaliADCC, under 99 kg, quarterfinal · submission
- 2024Vinicius “Trator” FerreiraADCC, under 99 kg, round of 16 · submission
- 2024Adam BradleyADCC Trials · decision
Losses
- 2026Daniel SchuardtADCC, under 99 kg, round of 16 · submission
- 2026Gustavo BatistaIBJJF Absolute No-Gi Grand Prix, quarterfinal · points
- 2024Luccas LiraUFC Fight Pass Invitational 9 · penalties
- 2024Nicky RodUFC Fight Pass Invitational 8 · rear-naked choke in overtime
- 2024Roberto “Cyborg” AbreuADCC, third-place match · 8-0
- 2024Rafael Lovato Jr.ADCC, semifinal · decision
Major titles
In college wrestling he was NAIA champion in 2016 and NCAA Division II champion in 2019, at 184 lb.2024
- ADCC West Coast Trials Under 99 kg Gold
Before black belt
- IBJJF No-Gi Worlds 2021 and 2022, blue belt; 2025, brown belt Gold
- IBJJF No-Gi Pan 2025, brown belt Gold
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