Danielle Kelly sets her sights on possible jump to MMA in the future: “I wanted to fight, I want to strike”

ONE atomweight submission grappling top contender Danielle Kelly isn’t confining herself in just competing Brazilian jiu-jitsu professionally, as she wants to try her skills in mixed martial arts in the future, something that she can do under the world’s largest martial arts organization.

The Silver Fox BJJ representative reiterated this desire in her most recent interview with MMA Mania, ahead of her historic ONE atomweight submission grappling world title match with Jessa Khan this Friday, September 29, at ONE Fight Night 14: Stamp vs. Ham on Prime Video.

Kelly stated:

“Yeah. I basically said in the future. I definitely want one or two [MMA fights] because when I started, that's really why I got into jiu-jitsu, because you know I was being bullied and I wanted to fight, or you know defend myself. But I wanted to fight, I want to strike.”

Despite future plans of transitioning to MMA, the 27-year-old American is still focused on her upcoming world title fight, as she not only aims to win the inaugural ONE atomweight submission grappling belt but also avenge her loss to Khan from two years ago in February 2021 and prove that she is now better than her. She also wants to use the momentum of her undefeated record of two wins and one draw in ONE Championship in the second match with the Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy athlete.

Once Kelly gets the job done against Khan inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium on fight night and captures the 26-pound golden belt, she will have the option to fight and compete in the MMA realm, where the path to a world title shot against reigning undisputed ONE atomweight world champion Angela Lee as top contenders like Stamp Fairtex, Ham Seo Hee, and Denice Zamboanga, Alyona Rassohyna, and Tiffany Teo are waiting.

ONE Fight Night 14 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.