Danielle Kelly admits Mayssa Bastos would be “hard to submit” in world title defense in Bangkok

Danielle Kelly has been living up to the underdog persona ahead of her first world title defense, and she admitted that Mayssa Bastos could prove to be the one fighter she'll have the hardest time against.

The reigning ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion will defend her throne against the Brazilian superstar in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 24 this Friday, US primetime.

Ahead of her world title defense at the historic Lumpinee Stadium, Kelly told Sportskeeda MMA that Bastos is a whole new puzzle to solve.

Danielle Kelly stressed that her goal is to get the submission win, but Bastos' pedigree might make it difficult for her to do so.

"I think everyone who's grappling, like, we want to get the finish. I feel like, with this match, she's pretty good and hard to submit. So I mean, it's probably going to a decision."

Kelly has been challenged in her ONE Championship tenure, but she's always pushed through no matter the situation and established an unbeaten 3-0-1 record in the promotion.

After settling for a draw with Japanese women's MMA pioneer in her debut at ONE X, Kelly racked up three straight wins to become the inaugural ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion.

Kelly submitted Sambo world champion Mariia Molchanova and scored a unanimous decision win over Ayaka Miura in her next two matches.

She then upended old nemesis and IBJJF world champion Jessa Khan to capture the atomweight submission grappling throne.

Kelly, though, will now face a grappler with all the credentials to be called this generation's best.

Bastos is a nine-time BJJ world champion who's won gold at the IBJJF, IBJJF No-Gi, and Who's Number One.

Kelly's world title defense against Bastos, and the entire ONE Fight Night 24 card, is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Danielle Kelly says Mayssa Bastos has a way of going with the rhythm in her matches

Danielle Kelly admitted that she holds Mayssa Bastos in high regard among her contemporaries, and one reason for her admiration is how her world title challenger fights within a certain rhythm.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Kelly said:

"I can tell with some matches, she either turns up the pace or she slows it down when she gets her advantage or something. If she feels like she's up, she knows how to flow with the match."