BJJ phenom Danielle Kelly, a ONE Championship debutant, dominated her Japanese opponent, Mei Yamaguchi, but was unable to win as their ONE X bout ended in a draw.

On 17 February, Kelly announced she will make her debut in the Singapore-based MMA promotion. She has defeated veterans Cynthia Calvillo, Carla Esparza, and Roxanne Modafferi in grappling matches as a black belt in BJJ.

On the other hand, Yamaguchi is also a black belt, and she made her name in the world of combat sports through her impressive resume spanning a plethora of promotions.

ONE X highlights: Danielle Kelly vs. Mei Yamaguchi

The grappling bout between Kelly and Yamaguchi was an exciting one with the former dominating the veteran throughout the match. The black belt from Philadelphia took control of Yamaguchi with her aggressive style in initial moments of their 12-minute 1 rounder match.

Although Yamaguchi tried to take a hold of Kelly, but was unable to do as the 25-year-old’s fluid movements were too much for her.

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Danielle Kelly went for the submission as soon as she took the mount of Mei Yamaguchi. Kelly hunted for the finish with a kneebar and then with a heel hook. However, the veteran Yamaguchi would not give in so easily.

As the last minutes of bout remained, both of the grapplers tussled with each other and tried to submit each other, but to no avail.

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The bout ended up in a draw with both of the martial artists unable to secure a finish. After the official decision, Yamaguchi admitted to being too passive throughout the match and regretted not being more aggressive from the start.

Danielle Kelly, the debutant, told the host that she wasn’t in her groove and the aggressive nature is a part of her style. Although she was unhappy not being able to finish her fight, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt promised her fans that she would get it the next time she steps into the cage.

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For her performance, the Chairman and CEO of ONE, Chatri Sityodtong, awarded the BJJ standout a $50,000 bonus. An emotional Kelly thanked the ONE supremo for his support and walked out of the cage.

What are your thoughts on the grappling bout? Let us know in the comments below.