Danielle Kelly Wants To Prove Critics Wrong At ONE Fight Night 24

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Danielle Kelly has risen to superstardom in ONE Championship in just four outings. But even still, the ONE Women's Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion feels she just doesn't get the props she deserves.

Despite going unbeaten to reach the division's pinnacle, her reception remains that of the underdog. But she looks to change all that when she defends her gold against Mayssa Bastos at ONE Fight Night 24: Balart vs. Brooks inside Bangkok, Thailand's Lumpinee Stadium on Saturday, 3 August.

"I just don't think I get enough credit. I'm also a huge underdog, which I expected because she wins a lot of stuff at the lower divisions," Kelly said. "I think I'm going to be overlooked, and I can't wait to prove people wrong."

A lot of Kelly's motivation surrounding ONE Fight Night 24 revolves around her wanting to show she's the best in the world. Her adversaries throughout her promotional run have all been elite-level grapplers.

She fought to a draw with Mei Yamaguchi in her promotional debut. After that, she put three wins together over Mariia Molchanova, Ayaka Miura, and fierce rival Jessa Khan, who she beat to don the division's gold.

Much like her previous aggressors, Kelly expects Bastos to use her signature approach of coming out guns blazing in an attempt to catch the queen off guard. But the Silver Fox BJJ stud is excited to topple one more world-beater to continue cementing her legacy in ONE Championship.

"I think that in this match, she's going to be trying to attack my back. She's going to try to rush something like a leg lock because a lot of people just like doing leg locks with me - which I hope so because I like to counter," Kelly said.

"I want to prove that I'm the best 115-pound grappler by beating Mayssa Bastos. I want to be the best 115 grappler of all time. That's my goal. And I think having that mindset has definitely made me a different person."