Danielle Kelly focused on jiu-jitsu but hasn’t forgotten about potential transition to MMA

American grappler Danielle Kelly is a specialist on the mats who is focused on taking over the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. However, a move to MMA may be in her future.

In an interview with SCMP MMA, the 27-year-old athlete said:

"I haven't kicked it off my mind completely but, you know, with the grappling titles or anything I would want to accomplish something in jiu-jitsu. Yeah, I think that it makes sense to me that I'm focused on jiu-jitsu, but I still train with MMA girls right now."

MMA is potentially down the line, but right now it's all about submission grappling. She continued:

"Right now, with all the opportunities with what I'm doing it just makes sense to focus on jiu-jitsu right now."

Catch the full interview below:

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Danielle Kelly returns at ONE Fight Night 7

Danielle Kelly is set to face Japanese judoka 'Zombie' Ayaka Miura next. The submission grappling match is set for ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, which goes down on February 24 at the iconic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

All the action will be broadcast live and for free on Prime Video for all Amazon subscribers across North America.

Interestingly, the BJJ athlete will have a size disadvantage going into this bout. On being the smaller fighter against Miura, Kelly said in the same interview:

"I think my technique is good enough and it doesn't matter. I also train with a lot of other MMA girls, kind of like heavier than her or around her weight. I think they're more technical. So I'm pretty confident in this match going on. I just want it to be an exciting match. That's all I really care for, and getting the finish."

It will be a battle between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Japanese judo when the two submission specialists go to war at ONE Fight Night 7. On comparing her sport to that of Miura, Danielle Kelly said:

"Yeah, she has good judo chops. My opponent, she's obviously really good. She's a pretty experienced judo person. Her last three or four submissions were pretty [much] like the same thing. I think it would be an exciting match."