Danielle Kelly tells submission grapplers to “keep going” for the tap when they hear their opponents’ joints crack

Reigning ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion Danielle Kelly has shared a valuable lesson with all submission grapplers when it comes to securely getting the win in any match they are in.

Kelly recently shared a photo on her official Instagram account that shows her going for a submission attempt, and wrote in the caption of the post:

“When you hear cracks in competition and your opponent doesn’t tap, keep going. Training wise, let go and go for something else. I looked at the ref accidentally 😅”

The Silver Fox BJJ representative said that even if grapplers hear cracks on their opponent’s body when applying a submission attempt, they should still continue putting pressure on them until they force a tap.

In other words, Kelly teaches professional practitioners to be relentless and merciless against their opponents to securely pick up the dub. However, she was quick to clarify that this should not be applied during training sessions.

The Philadelphia native is fresh off her world title triumph against former tormentor Jessa Khan in their world title showdown at ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023. She scored a unanimous decision victory to become the inaugural ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion.

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Danielle Kelly names Itsuki Hirata as the ideal opponent for her next fight in ONE Championship

When the groundbreaking return of the world’s largest martial arts organization to Japan was announced, Kelly made known her desire to participate in the event. Unfortunately, she never received a call from ONE Championship to fight on the loaded card.

The 28-year-old American has also previously named Japanese star Itsuki Hirata as her ideal opponent for her next fight. She revealed this during a question-and-answer session with her followers on Instagram in November 2023.