Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, the reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, is gearing up for a pivotal moment in her career. The talented Brazilian striker will defend her Muay Thai title against Israeli fighter Shir Cohen at ONE Fight Night 32. This exciting event is set for June 6 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, and will air during U.S. primetime on Prime Video.
As Rodrigues prepares for this high-stakes title match, she is simultaneously contemplating a significant transition in her career. At just 26 years old, Rodrigues has established herself as a dominant force in Muay Thai. However, she is also laying the groundwork for a potential shift into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). This move is not just a dream; it represents the next phase of her professional journey.
In addition to her Muay Thai training, Rodrigues is devoting considerable time to mastering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), no-gi submission grappling, and MMA techniques. Training at the renowned Phuket Fight Club has become an integral part of her routine. Rodrigues expressed her commitment to balance her Muay Thai preparations with her grappling skills: “I always go back to training jiu-jitsu after a fight. Obviously, I need to keep up my Muay Thai training routine as well, but when I don’t have a fight scheduled, I can fit in jiu-jitsu training.”
Rodrigues has access to world-class coaching, essential as she develops her ground game. Alongside her husband, Jose Neto, she trains under the guidance of Leonardo Souza, a black belt and head of the BJJ program at Phuket Fight Club. She noted the benefits of having multiple coaches and training partners: “My husband helps me a lot with my training, but there are also Leonardo and other teachers who offer valuable insights. I only train MMA in the morning, while in the afternoon, I focus on Muay Thai.”
This extra effort in training is not merely for the sake of variety. Rodrigues has a strategic goal in mind. While her imminent focus is defending her Muay Thai title at ONE Fight Night 32, her sights are set on making her MMA debut as early as 2026. She shared her determination: “I decided to train jiu-jitsu because I intend to fight MMA. If everything goes well, I intend to debut in MMA next year. Let’s see how I evolve and how things unfold along the way.”
Transitioning from the striking-focused realm of Muay Thai to the diverse skill sets required in MMA will undoubtedly present challenges for Rodrigues. She recognizes the physical demands of grappling, which her body is still learning to adapt to: “Jiu-jitsu is very different. Since I’m still new to it, it requires a lot of strength, and that really wears me out. In Muay Thai, my body is already adapted to the training, so that’s the main difference and what makes jiu-jitsu training challenging for me.”
Despite these challenges, Rodrigues maintains the fierce determination that propelled her to become a Muay Thai World Champion. She is excited about the prospect of testing her skills in BJJ competitions, as she believes this will expedite her growth in grappling. She stated her intent to compete soon: “I’m still a beginner in jiu-jitsu, but I hope to focus more after this Muay Thai fight. If the opportunity arises, I would love to compete and gain experience.”
Looking ahead, Allycia Hellen Rodrigues is poised to not only defend her Muay Thai crown but also to make a name for herself in MMA. As she navigates this pivotal moment in her career, fans eagerly await the outcome of her title fight at ONE Fight Night 32 and what the future holds for this rising star in combat sports.
