“Former ONE Championship atomweight submission grappling champion” Danielle Kelly appears to have been in the dark about her release from the promotion even a single day prior to the press release.
The 29-year-old American grappler was among five athletes quietly removed from ONE Championship’s official roster on Wednesday according to updated profile pages on the promotion’s website. The list also included MMA stars Meng Bo, Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg, Xie Wei and Antonio Mammarella.
Evidence suggests Kelly may not have been formally notified of her release before it became public knowledge. Recent social media activity shows the Pennsylvania native posting content while still representing herself as a ONE Championship athlete, including wearing the promotion’s gear and using affiliated hashtags.
A Twitter user noted the apparent disconnect, commenting:
“For sure Danielle Kelly must have been caught off guard from being let go. She made a post about still being with ONE and rocking their gear recently.”
This stands in contrast to fellow released MMA star Meng Bo who quickly acknowledged receiving official notification from the promotion, stating:
“Thank you very much for the decision of ONE Championship. I have received the email.”
Kelly’s departure marks a disappointing conclusion to what began as one of ONE Championship’s most significant acquisitions in their push to build an elite no-gi grappling division in 2022. The accomplished black belt was viewed as a cornerstone athlete who could help legitimize the promotion’s submission grappling product.
Her tenure peaked in September 2023 when she defeated Jessa Khan by decision to become the inaugural atomweight submission grappling champion. However her reign was short-lived, losing the title to Mayssa Bastos in August 2024 via decision.
Kelly’s attempts to reclaim the championship proved unsuccessful, falling short in a December rematch against Bastos also by decision. The back-to-back losses to the same opponent may have influenced the promotion’s decision to part ways with their former champion.
The manner of Kelly’s release raises questions about ONE Championship’s communication practices with departing athletes.
Kelly’s situation also reflects the volatile nature of the submission grappling market where even former champions can find themselves without a promotional home. Despite her elite credentials and previous championship status, the competitive landscape and business considerations ultimately led to her departure.
