“It’s just my escape” - Danielle Kelly recalls how sports and martial arts helped her deal with childhood bullying

Danielle Kelly has always been vocal about how she dealt with bullying during her childhood days. The reigning ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion was never shy in talking about the struggles she experienced whenever she changed schools and how martial arts became her escape from all that childhood trauma.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Kelly talked in length about how she steadily gained confidence every time she entered the gym and became a better Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist.

Danielle Kelly said:

"I feel like joining sports like that, I gained a lot more confidence. And then over time, I was creating friends and a good environment from the sports. So that kept me going and kept me motivated, and busy while not I'm just distracted, like, not thinking about school stuff."

She added:

"So that really helped me a lot, to focus on competing when I was a kid, wrestling, just because of good people that wanna see me succeed. So, yeah, I think that's why I stuck with it. I'm still sticking with jiu-jitsu still because it's just my escape, but also, you know, I wanna accomplish certain goals, and I think that's kinda what motivates me. But, no, this is not to tell people don't go to therapy. I'm just saying, for me, it helped me."

That drive she developed as a student ultimately translated into the fuel she's used in her march to submission grappling stardom.

After making a name for herself in the regional scene, Kelly debuted for ONE Championship at ONE X in 2022.

Although she settled for a draw with Japanese women's MMA pioneer Mei Yamaguchi, Danielle Kelly remained a huge star in the sport and quickly proved her worth with three straight wins against Mariia Molchanova, Ayaka Miura, and Jessa Khan.

She'll now defend her ONE atomweight submission grappling world title against nine-time BJJ world champion Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24 this Friday, US primetime, at the historic Lumpinee Stadium.

ONE Fight Night 24 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.

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Danielle Kelly is looking for a styles clash against Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24

Danielle Kelly and Mayssa Bastos come from two varying schools of thought on Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Bastos is a pure BJJ artist who can establish her offense from her back, while Kelly mixes in wrestling in her approach to the sport.

Kelly said in an interview with Jordan Teaches Jiu-Jitsu that the difference between her and Bastos would prove to be an entertaining showing in Bangkok.

"It's one of those things like, you know, she's good at certain things, styles make matches, and I can do this with me in the Mayssa matchup. I feel like my matchup is probably going to be similar to that."