ONE Fight Night 24: Challenger Mayssa Bastos reveals she only watched one of Danielle Kelly's previous matches
At just 26 years old, Mayssa Bastos has accumulated a lot of experience by competing at the highest level in submission grappling. This latest chapter in her career sees her in search of the ONE atomweight submission grappling world championship.
After securing a debut win earlier this year, Bastos will take on the champion Danielle Kelly in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 24. The Brazilian is no stranger to high stakes match-ups and that's been reflected in her preparations for August 2.
During a recent interview with ONE Championship, she admitted to being quite unfamiliar with Kelly's game because she hasn't studied her previous contests.
Aside from the champion's title winning display last September at ONE Fight Night 24, Bastos revealed that the only footage she has seen of her next opponent has been short clips:
"I confess that I haven't watched Danielle Kelly fight that much yet. I only saw her last fight with a teammate of mine [Jessa Khan] and some highlights online."
This won't phase Mayssa Bastos on August 2
This lack of studying her opponent isn't going to impact Mayssa Bastos's confidence, as she knows she can compete at this level.
She's already achieved incredible success in her career, so winning is something that now comes naturally to her.
However, being aware of Kelly's biggest strengths and weaknesses would probably give her a bigger advantage heading into Lumpinee Stadium.
The champion is certainly the underdog in this match-up but that's a role that she has come to cherish over time.
Kelly refuses to be underestimated, and while Bastos may not be taking her for granted as a serious threat, she is coming into this clash with the intention of adapting in the moment, which could end up backfiring on her come August 2.
ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.