“She’s just not that confident in her standing” - Danielle Kelly says Mayssa Bastos doesn’t hold a candle to her wrestling

Danielle Kelly (left) and Mayssa Bastos (right). [Photos from ONE Championship]
Danielle Kelly (left) and Mayssa Bastos (right) [Photos from ONE Championship]

Danielle Kelly believes she'll hold one crucial trick up her sleeve when she takes on Mayssa Bastos in their world title rematch.

The American superstar will try to reclaim the ONE atomweight submission grappling world title from Bastos at the stacked ONE Fight Night 26 event on Friday, US primetime, at the hallowed Lumpinee Stadium.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Kelly said Bastos would be at a disadvantage if they get into a wrestling exchange in their world title matchup in Bangkok.

Kelly added that it would be a surprising sequence if Bastos would wrestle with her, especially with the former champ's perceived advantage on the discipline.

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"I don't think she wants to wrestle. I've seen her at ADCC. I mean, I would like to see if she wants to wrestle. Like, that'll surprise me too, but I think she knows that she's just not confident in her standing, but that benefits me," said Danielle Kelly.

Bastos and Kelly figured in one of the closest world title matches in recent memory, with both fighters exchanging crucial moments in their ONE Fight Night 24 meeting.

The Bangkok crowd inside the Lumpinee Stadium were at the edge of their seats anticipating every move, but a late submission catch from Bastos ultimately secured her the win and the ONE atomweight submission grappling world title.

Kelly now looks to dethrone Bastos and recapture the throne she once ruled over.

ONE Fight Night 26 is available live and free to all Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.


Danielle Kelly puts her loss to Mayssa Bastos in the rear-view mirror

Danielle Kelly knew just how close her world title loss was to Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24, yet she elected to put the disappoint result past her.

In the same interview with ONE Championship, Kelly said she'd rather use the footage from her first match against Bastos to use as tape in preparation for their world title sequel at ONE Fight Night 26:

"Well, I watched the whole match before just so I can study and fix things that I can fix. I thought I won at first, but it's only a 'he said, she said' thing. It doesn't really make a difference what I said. She got the bonus too. Not saying I don't care. It is what it is."

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Edited by Harvey Leonard
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