Danielle Kelly on the difference between MMA and jiu-jitsu opponents

When Danielle Kelly returns to the Circle at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, she’ll take on Judo black belt and mixed martial artist Ayaka ‘Zombie’ Miura.

It will be a unique challenge for Kelly as Miura is an MMA fighter not known for her work in the world of submission grappling. In an interview with The MMA Superfan, Kelly shared her thoughts on the differences between competing against an MMA fighter versus a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner:

“I think they’re similar in some ways, but I think a jiu-jitsu person, they’re more flowy. I thought my next match was going to be against a jiu-jitsu person - I even called out a jiu-jitsu girl. Hopefully, I get that matchup after this one. But yeah, I think jiu-jitsu people, we know pretty much each other’s games. It’s like, everyone’s competing every weekend. So they’re more fluid, more flowy from scrambles.”

The “jiu-jitsu girl” that Danielle Kelly is referring to is Jessa Khan. The 21-year-old Cambodian signed with ONE Championship last year, but is yet to make her promotional debut. Khan and Kelly are no strangers to one another.

The two grapplers met in February 2021 under the WNO label. Khan earned the victory via decision. Since then, Kelly has been chomping at the bit to get another crack at the Asian Games gold medalist.

Watch the interview below:

---

Danielle Kelly relishes the opportunity to advance the sport of submission grappling

Danielle Kelly has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in the world of submission grappling. Making history in her ONE Championship debut last year, Kelly has embraced the role of a trailblazer in women’s grappling and hopes to use her clout as a way to continue pushing Brazilian jiu-jitsu to the forefront of combat sports:

"I’m at a part of my life right now where I’m making changes, making a first time for everything. I wasn’t really happy with my first match, but the fact that it was the first female grappling match in ONE Championship is a huge accomplishment for me. And it feels like I’m in a spot where I can push the sport, especially for females and little girls, kids. I think it’s given me a lot of outlook in life.”

Already etching her name in the history books, Danielle Kelly has one very big goal in mind before 2023 comes to a close; becoming ONE Championship’s first women's submission grappling world champion:

"I think it would be like the biggest platform, it would draw a lot of attention to women’s jiu-jitsu in the world,” Kelly said when discussing the possibility of ONE introducing a women’s grappling championship.

Watch her last match below: