Danielle Kelly was much more comfortable competing in the Circle in her second appearance

Since signing with ONE Championship a year ago, submission grappling star and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Danielle Kelly has had to adjust to a number of things. That includes fighting inside a circle cage.

Used to competing on an open stage prior to coming on board the promotion, the Silver Fox BJJ affiliate shared that she is more comfortable now with the setting she is fighting in after her second match last November.

Danielle Kelly told ONE Championship in an interview:

”It actually felt pretty good. I think the first time, which was back in March, I was a little nervous. So just trying to feel out of the cage and everything, it was like my first time in an actual cage setting because usually, jiu-jitsu matches are like, they reset you if you go off bounds, or you just keep going. But in the cage, you're just very limited. So I kind of had to get used to that.”

Danielle Kelly made her promotional debut at ONE X last March, taking on Japan's Mei Yamaguchi in a women’s atomweight submission grappling showdown which ended in a draw.

She then faced off with Russian Mariia Molchanova at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November. On that occasion, she made sure to emerge on top, submitting her opponent with a rear-naked choke at the 2:15 mark of the contest.

Both of Kelly's first two fights earned her a $50,000 performance bonus.

Danielle Kelly is now preparing for her return to action at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video, slated for February 24 at the famous Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. At the event, she will face off against Japanese judoka Ayaka Miura.

ONE Fight Night 7 will be aired live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

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Danielle Kelly says judo fighters are harder matchups than wrestlers

Submission grappling ace Danielle Kelly is set to face a judo black belt in Ayaka Miura in her upcoming fight. She expects a different and harder challenge than she is used to facing.

Speaking to SCMP MMA, the Silver Fox BJJ affiliate said judokas have certain advantages going their way over wrestlers. Nevertheless, she believes that she has what it takes to stand against them.

Danielle Kelly said:

"From standing, judo has a lot of advantages because mostly jiu-jitsu people, I mean, very rarely do you have a wrestler who is good at jiu-jitsu but like a top jiu-jitsu person. They don't really practice stand-up a lot."

She added:

"Luckily for me, I've been wrestling my whole life. I'm getting back into it now but I used to wrestle as a kid. I think judo, their submissions are pretty similar, back takes and it's similar with the Gi."

Watch the interview below:

Danielle Kelly and Ayaka Miura will face off at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video on February 24. Their Bangkok-held contest will be a catchweight submission grappling match.

The American grappling star is seeking to win her second straight victory in the promotion. Miura, for her part, is a former ONE women’s strawweight world title contender dipping her hands in submission grappling for the first time and looking to carve a name for herself in the sport.