Former ONE Championship submission grappling world champion Danielle Kelly‘s recent departure from the promotion has sparked a public response from ONE FC Vice President Tom DeBlass, who addressed the circumstances surrounding her exit after Kelly claimed she was “taken advantage of” during her tenure with the organization.
Kelly, who made history as the first woman to compete in a submission grappling match for ONE Championship in 2022, recently opened up about her decision to part ways with the Singapore-based promotion on her YouTube channel. The 29-year-old American grappler expressed frustration with the frequency of match opportunities, stating that her original agreement included competing “four or five matches a year” but that expectation was not consistently met.
“Going in, I figured that I was going to have a lot of matches in this promotion. And in the beginning, I did. I was really happy and satisfied. But later on, going into the years, it seemed to kind of slow down for whatever reason,” Kelly explained in her video statement.
The former champion detailed how her career trajectory with ONE began promisingly, earning a $50,000 performance bonus in her debut against Mei Yamaguchi, despite the match ending in a draw. Kelly went on to capture the inaugural ONE atomweight submission grappling world title with a decision victory over IBJJF world champion Jessa Khan in September 2023, though she would later lose the belt in back-to-back defeats to Mayssa Bastos.
Kelly’s concerns extended beyond match frequency to what she perceived as leveraging tactics by the promotion. “In the past, I felt like in some situations I was kind of being taken advantage of,” she said, referencing her second match against Bastos. “My second match, the rematch, I was kind of talked into taking the match, because it was brought to me from the matchmakers saying if I didn’t take the match, I didn’t know when the next time I was competing.”
Responding to Kelly’s departure and public statements, DeBlass provided context about ONE Championship’s approach to grappling competitions and roster management. He emphasized the exclusive nature of the promotion’s grappling offerings, explaining that with only one grappling match per card, every selection carries significant weight.
“Every one of them is either #1 in their weight class or among the very best in the world,” DeBlass stated in PR release to BJJEE. This selectivity, he argued, creates both tremendous opportunities and intense pressure for competitors.
DeBlass confirmed that the organization maintains a policy of potentially releasing athletes after consecutive losses, though he framed this as an opportunity rather than punishment. “We put on one grappling match per card, and it’s life-changing for our athletes… We decided it was best to release her as we generally will do when athletes lose twice in a row,” he explained.
A slight glitch Tom DeBlass didn’t address is the fact Danielle Kelly was released in summer of 2025 – having last competed in December of 2024. ONE FC has long been plagued with rumors of financial problems and has even taken to trying to censor random youtubers analysing their financial hardships.
Despite the competitive pressures inherent in ONE’s grappling division, DeBlass maintained that relationships with athletes remain positive. “To this day, not a single athlete that I have personally worked with has asked to be released. They and their managers have been a pleasure. It’s truly been an honor and a pleasure to support them,” he stated.
Of course, Tom DeBlass started off as a co-VP of grappling alongside Leo Vieira who has since left the promotion so he’s technically correct.
