Daniel Thomas Kelly (born 31 October 1977) is an Australian former judoka[4] and mixed martial artist. Known for his unconventional style, the four-time judo Olympian formerly competed in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) between 2014 and 2018.[5]
Dan Josh Kelly | |
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Born | Daniel Thomas Kelly[1] 31 October 1977 Melbourne, Australia |
Other names | Dad Dad Bod Catterall |
Residence | Melbourne, Australia |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
Division | Middleweight |
Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
Style | Judo |
Stance | Southpaw |
Team | Resilience Training Centre (2013–present)[2] |
Rank | 4th dan black belt in Judo[3] 1st degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Gustavo Falciroli |
Years active | 2006–2018 (MMA) |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 17 |
Wins | 13 |
By knockout | 3 |
By submission | 5 |
By decision | 5 |
Losses | 4 |
By knockout | 3 |
By decision | 1 |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog |
Kelly began competing in judo when he was 7 and competed at his first Australian Championships when he was 13.[6] He made the junior national team in 1994 where he competed at the Junior World Championships and went on to make the senior national team two years later.[6] Kelly has been Australian Champion on nine occasions.[6]
Kelly is the only Judo competitor to have been selected to fight for Australia in four different Olympic games.[6] He most recently competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the -100 kg event.[7]
He was the Judo coach for the Australian team at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Japan Olympics.[8][9]
Kelly made his professional MMA debut in July 2006. He remained out of competition for the next six and a half years due to judo commitments.
Kelly returned to the sport in December 2012. Over the next eight months, he improved his record to 5 wins with no losses. Kelly again returned to action in the Australian Fighting Championship (AFC) in May 2014, at AFC 9, defeating Ben Kelleher via second round submission.[10] Kelly was twice slated to fight Steven Kennedy for the vacant AFC middleweight belt in 2013 at AFC 7 and 2014 at AFC 10, but was forced to withdraw due to The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia commitments in 2013[11] and due to injury in 2014.[12]
In December 2013, it was announced that Kelly was selected as one of the fighters to represent Australia for the upcoming The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia.[13] Kelly was defeated by eventual middleweight runner-up Sheldon Westcott via first round submission.[14]
Kelly made his UFC debut against Luke Zachrich on 8 November 2014 at UFC Fight Night 55.[15] Kelly was victorious, winning by submission due to a kimura.
In his second bout for the promotion, Kelly faced Patrick Walsh on 14 February 2015 at UFC Fight Night 60.[16] He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Kelly faced Sam Alvey on 10 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 65.[17] He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.[18]
Kelly was expected to face Ricardo Abreu on 15 November 2015 at UFC 193.[19] However, Abreu pulled out of the fight in late September and was replaced by Steve Montgomery.[20] Kelly won the fight by unanimous decision.[21]
Kelly faced Antônio Carlos Júnior on 20 March 2016 at UFC Fight Night 85.[22] Kelly won the bout via TKO in the third round.[23]
Kelly next faced Chris Camozzi on 27 November 2016 at UFC Fight Night 101.[24] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[25]
Kelly faced Rashad Evans on 4 March 2017 at UFC 209.[26] He won the back-and-forth fight by split decision.[27]
Kelly faced Derek Brunson on 11 June 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110.[28] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[29]
Kelly faced Elias Theodorou on 19 November 2017 at UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Tybura.[30] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[31]
Kelly faced Tom Breese on 27 May 2018 at UFC Fight Night 130.[32] He lost the fight via technical knock out in round one.[33] Kelly became a free agent after the fight.[34]
17 matches | 13 wins | 4 losses |
By knockout | 3 | 3 |
By submission | 5 | 0 |
By decision | 5 | 1 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 13–4 | Tom Breese | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Till | 27 May 2018 | 1 | 3:33 | Liverpool, England | |
Loss | 13–3 | Elias Theodorou | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Tybura | 19 November 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Sydney, Australia | |
Loss | 13–2 | Derek Brunson | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt | 11 June 2017 | 1 | 1:16 | Auckland, New Zealand | |
Win | 13–1 | Rashad Evans | Decision (split) | UFC 209 | 4 March 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 12–1 | Chris Camozzi | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson | 27 November 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
Win | 11–1 | Antônio Carlos Júnior | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir | 20 March 2016 | 3 | 1:36 | Brisbane, Australia | |
Win | 10–1 | Steve Montgomery | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 193 | 15 November 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
Loss | 9–1 | Sam Alvey | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Miocic vs. Hunt | 10 May 2015 | 1 | 0:49 | Adelaide, Australia | |
Win | 9–0 | Patrick Walsh | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Thatch | 14 February 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Catchweight (191.5 lbs) bout; Walsh missed weight. |
Win | 8–0 | Luke Zachrich | Submission (kimura) | UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Bisping | 8 November 2014 | 1 | 4:27 | Sydney, Australia | |
Win | 7–0 | Ben Kelleher | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Australian Fighting Championship 9 | 17 May 2014 | 2 | 3:41 | Albury, Australia | |
Win | 6–0 | Bor Bratovž | KO (punch) | Australian Fighting Championship 6 | 24 August 2013 | 2 | 1:42 | Melbourne, Australia | AFC Middleweight Tournament Semifinal. |
Win | 5–0 | Daniel Way | Submission (armbar) | Shamrock Events: NOM 7 | 22 June 2013 | 1 | Melbourne, Australia | ||
Win | 4–0 | Chris Birch | Submission (rear naked choke) | Australian Fighting Championship 5 | 10 May 2013 | 1 | 3:36 | Melbourne, Australia | Middleweight debut. AFC Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
Win | 3–0 | Kym Robinson | Submission (rear naked choke) | MMA Down Under 3 | 16 March 2013 | 1 | 1:17 | Findon, Australia | |
Win | 2–0 | Fabio Galeb | Decision (unanimous) | Australian Fighting Championship 4 | 12 December 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | |
Win | 1–0 | Ross Dallow | TKO (thrown from the ring) | Dojo KO - Second Elimination | 22 July 2006 | 2 | N/A | Melbourne, Australia |
Exhibition record breakdown | ||
1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
By knockout | 0 | 0 |
By submission | 0 | 1 |
By decision | 0 | 0 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Sheldon Westcott | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia | February 19, 2014 (airdate) | 1 | 0:56 | Quebec City, Quebec, Canada | Quarter-finals |