Danielle Kelly

Danielle Kelly‘s journey to grappling stardom has been nothing short of inspirational.

Raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kelly suffered from bullying in her early school days. But at age 10, she decided to embrace the world of martial arts to overcome her tormentors — and that’s when she found Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The American star studied under the wings of legendary coach Karel Pravec at Silver Fox BJJ. She took to “the gentle art” and quickly ascended through the ranks. Fourteen years later, at age 24, she earned her black belt.

Kelly then began to defeat athletes in grappling competitions like Who’s Number One, the Eddie Bravo Invitational, and the ADCC Trials. She became renowned for her diverse repertoire of submissions, impeccable takedowns, and unparalleled endurance. 

Then in February 2022, Kelly signed with ONE Championship. Just a month later, she made her promotional debut against former ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title challenger Mei Yamaguchi in the promotion’s first-ever women’s submission grappling bout.

Now, milestones continue to arise for Kelly.

On September 29, she squares off with rival Jessa Khan for the inaugural ONE Atomweight Submission Grappling World Title in a highly anticipated rematch at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video.