ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion Danielle Kelly is preparing for her first title defense against Brazil’s Mayssa Bastos. The highly anticipated bout is set for ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart on August 2nd, airing during US primetime.

Kelly embraces the responsibility of honoring her late parents, who steadfastly supported her dreams. A recent social media post featuring Danielle Kelly’s emotional journey drew the attention of ONE Championship’s Chatri Sityodtong, who left a touching message for his champion.

Chatri Sityodtong applauds Danielle Kelly’s triumph

The latest story shared by ONE Championship on Instagram features pictures with quotes that illustrate Danielle Kelly’s incredible journey from losing both parents to becoming a world champion. It showcases how her journey began when her father first enrolled her in BJJ classes to defend herself from bullies. He saw her talent on the mats, but tragically, cancer struck him soon after. Determined to support him, Danielle recorded every session.

Despite his illness taking him from her, she found renewed strength. However, fate dealt another cruel blow when she lost her mother to illness at the young age of 20. Yet, these hardships couldn’t hold Danielle back. She preserved and emerged as a BJJ star. Chatri Sityodtong, deeply moved by her story, couldn’t help but admire her journey in the comment section. Sityodtong wrote, “Incredible life story! it goes to show that passion, purpose, and grit together can overcome anything in life!”

Almost a month ago, following the announcement of her appearance at ONE Fight Night 24, Danielle Kelly took to her Instagram account to share a heartfelt message. The message detailed her long journey in BJJ and ONE Championship, emphasizing the challenges she faced without her parent’s support.

Danielle Kelly opened up about life without parents

American submission grappling star Danielle Kelly has made her mark in her two-year journey within the promotion, etching her name in history by defeating Jessa Khan and becoming the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight Submission Grappling World Champion. After her appearance was announced for ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart, Kelly wrote on Instagram.

“12 years without my dad 8, years without my mom. Being in a sport young is tough without the support of your parents,” Kelly shared, adding, “I stick by it because of my dad who got me into it and I know he’d be proud of me today. I have more to fight than my opponents.” She further appealed to her fans not to consider her story as sad but as motivation to overcome any obstacle in their life.

With ONE Fight Night 24: Brooks vs. Balart rapidly approaching, excitement for the upcoming clash between Danielle Kelly and Mayssa Bastos is surging among fans. Who will you be rooting for? Let us know in the comments.