“We can kind of troll about anything” - Danielle Kelly shares her geeky side outside BJJ competitions
It's undeniable that Danielle Kelly has reached the top of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world, but the young athlete also enjoys a life outside competition.
Before the American BJJ black belt embarks on her first ever ONE atomweight submission grappling world title defense against strong contender Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24 on Aug. 2, she shared some of these things with the world.
In a podcast interview with The Few Will Hunt Show, Kelly explained what she does outside her training camps and competitive appearances.
She said:
"Take care of my deaf dog. I love my friends in the PC. I like my game friends because, I mean, they'll nerd out with jiu-jitsu, mostly MMA, because, like, they're like, oh, like, could beat this and that, but it's, it's not about jiu-jitsu. So it's like, funny, and we can kind of troll about anything."
And despite enjoying being herself outside the mats, Kelly is definitely not a pushover.
The first female signee of ONE Championship marked her debut at ONE X with a draw with Mei Yamaguchi before stringing three consecutive victories to claim the inaugural atomweight belt.
Danielle Kelly aims to prove critics wrong in her fight with Mayssa Bastos
Danielle Kelly has a long experience of being an underdog, and this time, she would most likely be overlooked when she goes head-to-head with Mayssa Bastos.
Unlike Bastos, Kelly is not recognized for winning multiple gold medals at the IBJJF worlds. However, she successfully gained fame in ONE Championship by outmaneuvering high-level black belts with style and courage.
Her entertaining matches also attracted new fans, as she always hunts for submission and is more dangerous than she looks.
Speaking to ONE Championship, Kelly said:
"I think I'm going to be overlooked, and I can't wait to prove people wrong."
Watch Danielle Kelly put her belt on the line against Brazil's Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24, airing live in U.S. prime time and free of charge for active Amazon Prime Video subscribers in North America.