Danielle Kelly, a formidable force in the world of submission grappling, finds herself yearning for more despite her impressive achievements. Despite her success in the sport, Kelly remains unsatisfied, constantly driven by a hunger to push her limits and reach new heights. Her relentless pursuit of excellence fuels her ambition, propelling her to seek greater challenges and surpass her own expectations.
With a determined mindset and an unwavering dedication to her craft, Kelly refuses to settle for mediocrity. She strives to test herself against the best in the field, seeking out opponents who will truly challenge her skills and force her to evolve as an athlete. Her unquenchable thirst for improvement fuels her training sessions, propelling her to train harder, study her craft meticulously, and constantly refine her techniques.
Unsatisfied Champion: Danielle Kelly Hungers for Greater Submission Grappling Triumphs
Kelly established a reputation for herself in a number of competitions and submission grappling promotions before joining ONE Championship. The 27-year-old has won the Submission Hunter Pto No-Gi tournament and the RISE Invitational before. Along with those titles, the native of Philadelphia also has victories in grappling matches over a number of well-known MMA competitors, including Roxanne Modafferi, Cynthia Calvillo, and former UFC champion Carla Esparza, an article on sportskeeda.com reported.
In March 2022, Danielle Kelly made a memorable debut in ONE Championship at ONE X. Facing off against Mei Yamaguchi, a former ONE women’s atomweight MMA world title challenger, Kelly displayed her skills as a formidable grappler. Although the match ended in a draw, it prompted the promotion to implement rule changes to avoid similar outcomes in the future.
Eight months later, Kelly once again proved her prowess as one of the planet’s top female grapplers. In a remarkable display of her abilities, she submitted Mariia Molchanova in just two minutes and fifteen seconds. This outstanding performance earned her a well-deserved $50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong.