"I'm still a white belt at heart" - Danielle Kelly says being inquisitive is the best way to progress in jiu-jitsu
In all her years of studying and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Danielle Kelly believes that the best way to make improvements to your game is to be as inquisitive as possible.
In as little as two years in the world's largest martial arts organization, the submission grappling queen cemented herself as the No.1 female grappler in the world, after defeating long-time rival Jessa Khan at ONE Fight Night 14, last September.
Her remarkable achievements in ONE Championship have inspired many young athletes to follow in her footsteps, despite all the obstacles and setbacks she faced.
Now, Kelly measures most of her success not only from her accomplishments alone but also by how open she is about making mistakes and acquiring new knowledge.
Ahead of her first world title defense on Aug. 2, Kelly told Sherdog MMA:
"When you're training, you had better make mistakes in front of your teammates or your friends instead of the thousands of people who will be in a tournament. I got to the gym to learn, and I'm still a white belt at heart. I've always gotten better by asking questions."
Kelly is ready to demonstrate a new set of skillsets that could only lead to submission, when she puts her undisputed status on the line against high-profile BJJ superstar, Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24.
ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
"My wrestling is better" - Danielle Kelly expects to shock Mayssa Bastos with a wide range of submission techniques and counters at OFN24
Danielle Kelly has an in-depth understanding of where her capabilities lie when she squares off with Mayssa Bastos on Friday.
Kelly certainly has the higher ground over Bastos in terms of her grappling experience in the ONE circle.
One of the many strategies that Kelly can use to her advantage is her understanding of the submission grappling ruleset in ONE Championship. In other words, Kelly knows what the judges are looking for.
She will attack Bastos with a dominant wrestling game to show the judges that she's the most active and aggressive grappler of the two. And if she succeeds with a takedown, it will only take her seconds to find the finish she craves.
Speaking to ONE, Kelly said:
"I think my wrestling is better. I think my submission finishing mechanics, my defense, my coutners are much better. I'm looking to break anything she gives me."