"That makes her very dangerous" - Mayssa Bastos admits Danielle Kelly's familiarity in the ONE ring gives her an advantage
Nine-time IBJJF World Champion Mayssa Bastos recently admitted that Danielle Kelly's most dangerous advantage against her is Kelly's two-year familiarity in the ONE ring.
The former newcomer arrived in ONE Championship earlier this year with the goal of becoming the next ONE women's atomweight submission grappling world champion.
After achieving her first decision victory on the world stage over Japan's Kanae Yamada, Bastos knew Danielle Kelly would be next.
However, despite being a more accomplished grappler on paper, Bastos believes that Kelly's experience in the ONE ring could be the one advantage that could cost her the victory if they were to go the distance.
Speaking to ONE, Bastos explained:
"She is very active in ONE events and she knows how to use the rules to her advantage, so that makes her very dangerous. I believe that is her strong point."
Mayssa Bastos showed her dominance at the highest level, submitting one competitor-after-another in the IBJJF Worlds with her craftmanship, aggression, and lightning-fast transitions.
This coming Aug. 2, Bastos is ready to silence every American fan watching with a fast submission against their grappling sweetheart Danielle Kelly.
ONE Fight Night 24 will air live in US Primetime, free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.
"I already knew what I wanted" - Mayssa Bastos talks about her determination to win every major championship in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after feeling a connection with the sport
Mayssa Bastos is one of the most feared women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu due to her long and successful list of accomplishments.
The Brazilian lives and breathes jiu-jitsu. She's been training since she was 11 years old after her parents first introduced her to the sport. After that, training just felt like second nature to her.
Recalling those earlier memories of how she got started, Mayssa told ONE:
"The connection was right away. I liked it since the first time I stepped on the mat and wanted to do it every day. In a short period, I already knew what I wanted. I wanted to be a black belt and a World Champion. It was very fast in my head of wanting to pursue a career in jiu-jitsu."
The BJJ black belt holds numerous wins at the highest level and is one of the most active athletes to date. Mayssa certainly has what it takes to continue cementing her legacy, as she awaits her world title bout against Danielle Kelly.