Molly McCann
Molly Maria McCann (born 4 May 1990) is an English mixed martial artist. She is a one-time Cage Warriors Fighting Championship Flyweight Champion and currently competes in the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Background. McCann was born into a broken home: her father was not around and mother had substance abuse problems, so she was partially raised by her aunt. She grew up in Norris Green area with two sisters. Initially she trained karate, kickboxing and Thai boxing before starting boxing around the age of 12. She then played football for five years before  starting mixed martial arts training in 2013. In her early years as a fighter, she supported herself by working in a branch of sandwich chain Subway, which earned her the nickname "Meatball Molly". McCann graduated from Liverpool John Moores University with a degree in sports development and physical education. Molly McCann is a lesbian. McCann is a close friend of fellow Liverpudlian MMA fighter Paddy Pimblett and a supporter of Everton Football Club. Politically, she is an opponent of the Conservative Party. Mixed martial arts career. Early career. McCann fought most of her early MMA career in England, fighting out  of her native Liverpool. She fought for the MMA promotion Shock N' Awe, where she won the vacant Shock N' Awe Flyweight Championship and also defended it once. McCann also won the vacant Cage Warriors Fighting Championship Women's Flyweight Championship in 2018 against Bryony Tyrell. After competing on the regional circuit, she amassed a record of 7–1 before signing with the UFC. Ultimate Fighting Championship. McCann made her UFC debut on 27 May 2018, against Gillian Robertson at . At the weigh-ins, she weighed in at 127 pounds, a single pound over the flyweight non-title fight limit of  126. She was fined 20% of her purse, which went to Robertson. She lost the fight via a rear-naked choke in round two. Her second fight came on 15 March 2019, facing Priscila Cachoeira at . She won the fight via unanimous decision. McCann faced Ariane Lipski on 22 June 2019 at . She won the fight via unanimous decision. Shortly after the fight, McCann signed a new four-fight contract with the UFC. McCann faced Diana Belbiţă on 18 October 2019 at UFC on ESPN 6. She won the fight via unanimous decision. McCann was scheduled to face Ashlee Evans -Smith on 21 March 2020 at . Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually postponed. Instead McCann faced Taila Santos on 16 July 2020 at . She lost the fight via unanimous decision. McCann faced Lara Procópio on 6 February 2021 at . She lost the fight via unanimous decision. McCann faced Ji Yeon Kim on 4 September 2021 at UFC Fight Night 191. She won the fight via unanimous decision. The back-and-forth bout won both contestants the "Fight of the Night" bonus award. McCann faced Luana Carolina on March 19, 2022 at UFC Fight Night 204. She won  the fight via knockout after landing a spinning back elbow in round three. With this win, she received the "Performance of the Night" award.