“Styles make matches” - Danielle Kelly believes she and Mayssa Bastos have a good contrast of skills
ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion Danielle Kelly sees a competitive contest against Brazilian challenger Mayssa Bastos in their showdown this week, owing to their contrasting styles as fighters.
The 28-year-old American champion talked about it in an interview on the Jordan Teaches Jiujitsu podcast ahead of her scheduled title clash against Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on Prime Video on Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Danielle Kelly said:
"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."
Check out what she had to say below:
Danielle Kelly has shown the ability to be a solid submission artist, particularly as a leg-locker. That is something to look at come fight as she makes her first defense of the world title she claimed back in September last year.
For her part, Bastos has been a true student of the berimbolo style, which targets to take the opponent's back for a submission, and has had a lot of success in it. Like Kelly, it is to be expected that the 26-year-old nine-time IBJJF world champion will look for this strongest suit of her arsenal to come up with a win.
The Kelly-Bastos title clash will serve as the co-headlining match at ONE Fight Night 24, which will take place at the Lumpinee Stadium and will be available live and for free in U.S. primetime to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Danielle Kelly says formidable opponent Mayssa Bastos is beatable
American grappling ace Danielle Kelly knows she is up against a formidable opponent in Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24 on Prime Video on Aug. 2 in Thailand. However, she believes that the BJJ standout is beatable and is going to prove that come fight night.
The ONE atomweight submission grappling world champion will stake her championship belt for the first time against Bastos this week and is confident of being successful in it, banking on her knowledge of how her opponent operates.
Kelly said in the same interview:
"I'm pretty well aware of what she's good at because she does the same thing. But it's just like, you know, like anyone else that's goig to walk into a match, she's beatable."
Danielle Kelly became world champion after claiming the inaugural ONE atomweight submission grappling world title last September with a unanimous decision win over Bastos' teammate Jessa Khan.