"Our guard styles are different" - Challenger Mayssa Bastos wants to prove her superiority over champ Danielle Kelly
On paper, the case can be made that challenger Mayssa Bastos is more accomplished than ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion Danielle Kelly.
On August 2, live in US Primetime; the Brazilian is eager to prove that all the hype is warranted by making Kelly's reign shortlived in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Prime Video.
Bastos, a nine-time IBJJF world champion, is truly one of the biggest names in the women's Brazilian jiu-jitsu scene.
It is so much so that most fans and pundits alike believe Kelly will be in for a tough challenge in her first world title defense.
Speaking to ONE ahead of this 10-minute grappling war at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Bastos expounded why her skills are a notch higher than her American foe.
The 26-year-old BJJ ace shared:
"Our styles are very different, which makes the fight very interesting. We both play guard, but our guard styles are different. I do a lot of berimbolo and like to attack the back."
Indeed, Mayssa Bastos' wicked arsenal, especially off her back, is one of the most mesmerizing displays of the purity of 'The Gentle Art'.
Kelly, though, showcased her evolving top control and guard passing skills in her monumental title-clinching win against another favored adversary, Jessa Khan, last year.
We'll soon see who emerges as the true queen of the atomweights at ONE Fight Night 24. This event is free for Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Mayssa Bastos says her signature berimbolo captures the beauty of BJJ
If there's one move that's synonymous with Mayssa Bastos, it's her crafty berimbolo.
This deadly back-taking maneuver has allowed The Art of Jiu Jitsu Academy star to reach the pinnacle of BJJ.
At ONE Fight Night 24, Bastos hopes her trusty technique will once again power her to 26 pounds of gold in the world's largest martial arts organization.
She told ONE:
"I saw a highlight of [the Miyao brothers] doing the berimbolo, and that's when I discovered this position that became my favorite position as well.
"I think the berimbolo is one of the most beautiful positions of jiu-jitsu, and I think that's what caught my attention."