5 Defining Moments In The Life Of Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly
On August 2 in U.S. primetime, reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly will defend her gold against a supremely dangerous challenger in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Prime Video.
The American superstar will square off with nine-time IBJJF World Champion Mayssa Bastos at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium in a matchup that fans and pundits widely view as Kelly’s stiffest test yet.
However, the Philadelphia native is no stranger to big challenges – and she’s consistently risen to the occasion.
Before she puts her gold on the line for the first time, we look back at five moments that have defined the atomweight submission grappling queen.
#1 Starting BJJ
As a shy and undersized young girl, Kelly often found herself the victim of relentless bullying at school – enduring everything from taunts and name-calling to physical attacks.
That all changed when, at the age of 10, she found Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Armed with useful self-defense techniques and newfound self-confidence, Kelly was able to turn her situation around and thrive as a talented athlete with massive potential.
Now a global superstar and one of the planet’s top pound-for-pound submission grapplers, she knows her life would be much different had she never discovered BJJ.
#2 Losing Her Parents
While Kelly was gaining confidence and rapidly developing into an elite BJJ athlete, tragedy struck. The young American sadly lost both of her parents after lengthy battles with illnesses.
Understandably, these were devastating blows.
But with the support of those around her and the determination to make something of herself, Kelly overcame those dark times and says that today she is motivated to make her late parents proud.
#3 Defeating A World Champion
As a rising star in the world of BJJ, Kellyn experienced plenty of big wins and losses at the elite level.
Back in 2021, she was still trying to make her mark on the sport – and that’s when her breakout win arrived.
At a U.S. submission-only event outside of ONE, Kelly submitted decorated IBJJF World Champion Sofia Amarante, establishing herself as a true world-class talent while turning heads with her aggressive style.
#4 Making Her ONE Debut
Kelly’s next big break came in March 2022 when she made her much-anticipated debut in the world’s largest martial arts organization at ONE X.
That night, she thoroughly dominated Japanese MMA icon Mei Yamaguchi, showcasing her well-rounded and fan-friendly approach to submission grappling.
Although Kelly wasn’t able to secure the submission, her performance was impressive enough to earn a US$50,000 bonus and garner legions of new fans in the process.
#5 Winning The ONE World Title
After defeating Yamaguchi, Kelly went on to score two thrilling wins and earn a shot at the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Title against former foe and then-reigning IBJJF World Champion Jessa Khan.
In the pair’s first meeting back in 2021, the highly-touted Khan had taken a competitive but clear-cut decision win over Kelly.
Kelly would turn the tables in their September 2023 rematch at ONE Fight Night 14, displaying crafty defense and a venomous leg-lock game to earn a unanimous decision and claim 26 pounds of gold.
She will now aim to take out another IBJJF World Champion – and one of Khan’s teammates – in this World Title clash with Bastos that has the BJJ world buzzing.
