Career

He represented the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games where he earned a silver medal. Up until August 2010 he was the head coach of Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club in Dallas, Texas. In 2015, he became a guest wrestling coach for Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold and Cain Velasquez, all from the American Kickboxing Academy.

Kelly was born in Atwater, California, where he attended Atwater High School and placed fourth in the state wrestling tournament as a senior.

After winning both pool matches 3-0, he defeated eventual bronze medalist Makhach Murtazaliev of Russia in the semifinal, 3-1. In the Gold Medal match, Kelly faced Ukrainian Elbrus Tedeyev.

Achievements

• He spent one year at Lassen Community College then transferred to Oklahoma State where he became a three time letter winner. Though he never won a state high school tournament or a national title in college, Kelly did win the 2004 United States of America Nationals and the United States Olympic trials at 66 kg (1455 lbs) to represent the United States in Athens. Tedeyev would win the gold 3-1 leaving Kelly with the silver.