Danielle Kelly says winning grappling world title would prove that she’s one of the best

Danielle Kelly looks to further her legacy by becoming a world champion in ONE Championship.

Since joining ONE, Kelly has emerged as arguably the biggest superstar in women’s submission grappling. With that said, she doesn’t plan on being satisfied until there is ONE gold around her waist.

On September 29, the American looks to accomplish her goals by becoming the inaugural ONE women’s atomweight submission grappling world champion. To do so, Kelly must get through former opponent Jessa Khan, who won their match in 2021 at a Who’s #1 event.

During an interview with ONE, Kelly had this to say about what it would mean to become a world champion:

“I feel like, you know, this is my time to really prove myself and like stamp my jiu-jitsu accomplishments and prove that I really belong here.”

Danielle Kelly made her ONE Championship debut in March 2022. She endured a draw against Mei Yamaguchi but earned a $50,000 performance bonus for her effort.

Since then, the Silver Fox BJJ has secured a finish against Mariia Molchanova, which earned another $50,000 bonus, and a unanimous decision win against Ayaka Miura. The 27-year-old is now focused on avenging her loss against Jessa Khan to become the first ONE women’s atomweight submission grappling world champion.

Kelly must be ready for a battle, as Khan isn’t an easy opponent. The 21-year-old is a former IBJJF world champion with plenty of experience against top-tier talent. It’ll be intriguing to see if she can make a statement in her ONE debut.

Danielle Kelly vs. Jessa Khan is one of three world championship bouts scheduled for ONE Fight Night 14, which takes place inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The September 29 event can be seen live and for free by North American viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.