“I put myself in a negative position” - Danielle Kelly admits fault in placing Mayssa Bastos on a pedestal in first match

Danielle Kelly admitted to putting herself "in a negative position" against Mayssa Bastos.

Earlier this year, Kelly attempted to defend her women's atomweight submission grappling world title at ONE Fight Night 24. Heading into the matchup, Kelly was considered the favorite due to her undefeated promotional record, but the highly-credentialed Bastos wasn't being overlooked.

Kelly and Bastos battled for ten minutes, with both fighters having their moments. The unanimous decision ultimately went to Bastos, who became the first female to defeat Kelly in ONE Championship.

During an interview with ONE, Kelly had this to say about not wanting to discredit Bastos' win against her:

"Like, I’m not discrediting her or talking trash. I kinda put myself in a negative position where I was like, ‘Oh, man. She’s this and that.’"

Before facing Mayssa Bastos, Danielle Kelly held a promotional record of 3-0-1. The American superstar started with a draw against Mei Yamaguchi before defeating Mariia Molchanova, Ayaka Miura, and Jessa Khan.

As for Bastos, she started her ONE Championship tenure with a win against Kanae Yamada. Following her win against Kelly, the Brazilian world champion has an opportunity to silence any doubt that she deserved the judge's decision.

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Danielle Kelly looks to make history once again in ONE Championship

On December 6, Danielle Kelly will face Mayssa Bastos in an immediate rematch at ONE Fight Night 26. The first world title matchup between the women's atomweight grapplers was decided by a razor-thin margin, creating the expectation for an action-packed showdown in their second meeting.

Kelly revolutionized female grappling in ONE Championship and became the promotion's first atomweight world champion. At ONE Fight Night 26, the American superstar looks to become the first 2x submission grappling queen and avenge the only blemish on her promotional record.

Meanwhile, Bastos plans to further her legacy and prove she's the best female atomweight grappler on the planet.

ONE Fight Night 26, which features two world title fights, will take place inside the legendary combat sports venue of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. Next Friday's event in Bangkok, Thailand, can be seen live and for free by North American and Canadian viewers with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.