It’s only three days left until ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart, where inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly will defend her title against Brazilian phenom Mayssa Bastos and also aim to shine in the Jiu-Jitsu world at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium, airing live in US primetime.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Kelly revealed that her dream scenario would be using Mayssa Bastos’ signature, the “berimbolo,” to defeat her this weekend. Kelly said, “Taking [her] back. If I somehow got her back and choked her. You know, they all love taking the back, the Mendes brothers and everyone there. So, it’d be kind of cool if I did that, if I played her game and took her out with her own move.”

The highly decorated Mayssa Bastos earned her World Title opportunity against Danielle Kelly after an impressive debut against Kanae Yamada at ONE Fight Night 20. While Kelly boasts more experience within the organization, Bastos brings a formidable record of 115 professional wins across various prestigious organizations, making her Kelly’s toughest opponent yet.

Bastos’ signature move, the “berimbolo,” is a renowned ground technique where she spins to gain control of her opponent. This is a crucial part of her arsenal, and ironically a move Kelly hopes to use against her.

Danielle Kelly seeks to extend her legacy as a submission grappling champion

Danielle Kelly is not merely training to defend her title; she’s relentlessly pursuing a long-term reign as the world’s best submission grappler. She doesn’t mind playing the underdog role in her first title defense against Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24. Having embraced the tag since the start of her martial arts journey, she believes it has been instrumental in shaping her journey.

Kelly is content with being the underdog, even though she’s the reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion. As she prepares to defend her title against Mayssa Bastos at the legendary Lumpinee Stadium, Kelly told Jordan Teaches Jiu-Jitsu, “I think for this match, I’ve learned not to try and get too emotional right now. I’d rather like whatever. I just wanna be the underdog.”

She acknowledges that being a fan favorite can create immense pressure, which could give her opponent an advantage. Despite her underdog status, Danielle Kelly has already proven herself by defeating Jessa Khan at ONE Fight Night 14 and claiming the inaugural belt for her division.

Who will you be rooting for at the upcoming ONE Atomweight Submission Grappling World Title fight between Danielle Kelly and Bastos? Share your thoughts below.