ONE Championship: Danielle Kelly is inspired by Garry Tonon ahead of MMA transition – and she plans to ‘dominate’ at atomweight

Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Danielle Kelly is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Garry Tonon as she transitions into mixed martial arts.

“I’ve been watching Garry Tonon ever since he had his first ONE fight,” she told the Post, sharing her admiration for the No 1 featherweight contender and former grappling star. “I’m still amazed how he puts his jiu jitsu and wrestling into MMA, all together.”

“That’s what gives me confidence,” she added. “If you look at other high-level jiu jitsu athletes in MMA, they’re doing pretty well.”

Kelly is one of the brightest young stars on the submission grappling circuit, with submission wins over UFC stars like Roxanne Modafferi and Cynthia Calvillo. She recently signed with ONE Championship with high praise from CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

“When I got the news I was really excited,” she said of signing with the Asian martial arts promotion. “I really like Chatri, he’s a really great person and I’m really grateful for these opportunities.”

“I’ve been training and competing for 15 years,” she added. “I’m not really where I want to be but I’m getting closer and closer.”

Kelly’s first ONE Championship appearance is expected to be a submission grappling contest, though the date and opponent are still a mystery. She plans to make her MMA debut at a later date.