“I feel like I'm in an 80s movie” - Danielle Kelly says grappling in a boxing ring feels like "Bloodsport"

Apart from getting to showcase her top-class submission grappling skills, Danielle Kelly is getting a kick out of competing in ONE Championship as it provides a whole new experience for her.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt cited, among other things, the varying settings they are sometimes made to take part in.

In an interview with SCMP MMA, Danielle Kelly shared that she is excited for her upcoming fight at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video on February 24. The bout will take place at the famed Lumpinee Boxing Stadium where they are reportedly competing inside a boxing ring.

She likens it to the 1980s movie Bloodsport, which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Danielle Kelly said:

“There are little rules that I kind of have to figure out. Yeah, I mean, I like it. I'm kind of a nerd. It reminds me of like, I'm doing Bloodsport or like the other movies that are old school. I feel like I'm in an 80s movie right now. Like, when I go there. It's pretty cool. My inner nerd might come out so I don't know yet."

Watch the full interview below:

In Bloodsport, Van Damme plays Frank Dux, who competes in an underground, full-contact martial arts tournament in Hong Kong. The film also featured Forest Whitaker and Bolo Yeung.

Danielle Kelly competes against judo specialist and former ONE women’s strawweight world title challenger Ayaka Miura in a catchweight submission grappling contest at ONE Fight Night 7. She is looking to follow up on her submission win over Russian Mariia Molchonova last November.

Miura, for her part, is out to take her talents in a new sport in ONE.

ONE Fight Night 7 is available 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

While her upcoming fight is right up her alley, American Danielle Kelly still expects a tough challenge from judo specialist and mixed martial artist Ayaka Miura in their catchweight submission grappling showdown later this month.

The two athletes are to mix it up at ONE Fight Night 7 on Prime Video on February 24 at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Speaking to SCMP MMA, Silver Fox BJJ affiliate Kelly said from her experience, judo fighters are a tougher matchup for her as opposed to wrestlers:

"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."

Adding:

"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."

At ONE Fight Night 7, Danielle Kelly starts her 2023 campaign, where she hopes to achieve greater heights in the promotion, including competing for a potential submission grappling world title and making a foray into MMA.