ONE Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly is gearing up for her upcoming title defense against Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24.

Despite being the reigning champion, Kelly considers herself the underdog against the highly decorated Brazilian competitor.

She acknowledges Bastos’ impressive credentials as a nine-time IBJJF world champion but believes that her opponent may be underestimating her.
Kelly is critical of Bastos’ style, noting that she often secures wins by decision or points rather than pursuing a submission throughout the match.

Here is what she had to say in a conversation with the Grappling Insider:

“I feel like she might play legs because she was doing that in her last match.
But if I have to look from the outside, if her coaches are doing some studying on me, I feel like they’re going to tell her to try to take my back just as Jessa [Khan] did in the first one.

I don’t think they’re training together, though. But they’re teammates, so they’re definitely studying film together.

Bastos has a great Berimbolo game as well, which Kelly admits had intimidated her – but doesn’t anymore:

On the Berimbolo stuff, I used to be intimidated by it…

But I feel like if I just go in there, get in her face, and be aware of what she’s trying to do and what her best things are, that will help me.

And yes, she is walking into the cage with supreme self-confidence:

I feel like because of how accomplished she is, I think years ago, if I went against her, if I first, like, noticed her, I would kind of be starstruck.
Now, I’m kind of just going in there now.

Like, I don’t really give a sh*t what you accomplished or how many titles you have.

 

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