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Submission grappling star and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Danielle Kelly signed with ONE Championship in February 2022. She's becoming more and more convinced that she made the right decision.
Kelly who is a veteran of many tournaments and promotions in the United States and has compiled a record of 17-9-1. Since joining ONE, she's become specifically impressed and appreciative of the Singapore-based promotion’s push to provide equal opportunities for both men and women athletes, allowing any and all to showcase what they are capable of.
That kind of thrust, Danielle Kelly noted, has allowed athletes like her to continue what they are passionate about doing while also making a good living off it.
Kelly told ONE Championship:
“It’s a great feeling and it just shows again, like, men and women, they can make a living off this sport. And ONE Championship is giving that towards the jiu-jitsu athletes.”
Kelly has already seen action twice since putting pen to paper with ONE Championship.
She made her ONE debut at ONE X in Singapore last March, taking on Japan's Mei Yamaguchi in a women’s atomweight submission grappling showdown. It ended in a draw as time expired.
Danielle Kelly then faced off against Russia's Mariia Molchanova at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November. This time, she made sure to emerge as the victor, submitting her opponent with a rear-naked choke at the 2:15 mark of the contest.
Both fights merited a $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Next up for Kelly is a showdown with Ayaka Miura of Japan at ONE Fight Night 7 on Amazon Prime in February.
Danielle Kelly reveals she did extensive simulation work preparing for Mariia Molchanova
American submission ace Danielle Kelly found a good recipe to winning in her November victory over Mariia Molchanova. She is looking to take cues from it as she progresses on her ONE journey.
In an interview with ONE Championship, Kelly revealed that she did extensive simulation work during her preparation and training for the Molchanova fight, which did wonders in her fashioning out a quick and convincing win.
She said:
“From certain positions, like my goal was to take her back. I just didn’t think it was gonna be from close guard when I took her back. We worked a lot of sequences whether it was like arm drags or just working sequences to take her back.”
Danielle Kelly is currently deep in training for her return to action at ONE Fight Night 7, where she is going up against another formidable foe in high-level Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and judo black belt Ayaka Miura.
