Molly McCann: In The Mix

Molly McCann: In The Mix  

Molly McCann didn’t start her MMA journey until she was 23, inspired by seeing Ronda Rousey on a TV screen after a boozy night out.

McCann has come along way in the 6 years since that life-changing moment, a Cage Warriors flyweight title, two wins in the UFC and now riding high after signing a new four-fight contract.

You can tell a lot about a fighter when they suffer a defeat, some hide, others make excuses, McCann did neither.

The loss, and the manner of it, McCann suffered in her UFC debut to Gillian Robertson in Liverpool would have finished many. But despite the understandable period of self-doubt that followed, McCann did what was required to stay in the UFC.

A lot has changed in just over a year, a UFC career-saving win in London and a recent fight of her life performance against the highly touted Ariane Lipski has seen McCann sitting on the verge of a top 15 UFC ranking.

In her last two fights, especially in her fight with Lipski, we have seen what McCann has to offer. That performance alone sent out a clear message that she is a real threat to the rest of the division. McCann fought with a freedom and a confidence we perhaps didn’t see in her previous two fights in the UFC, a 3-1 underdog before the fight, McCann showed her class in a dominant victory.

The women’s flyweight division has plenty of depth, but outside of the current champion Valentina Shevchenko, nobody really stands out. Anyone stringing together a few wins could find themselves standing in front of Shevchenko with the UFC title on the line.

Jessica Eye was Shevchenko’s most recent challenger, and even at this at stage, you wouldn’t rule out McCann beating the likes of Eye, the Liverpool fighter is undoubtedly in the mix.

McCann started out in boxing after seeing the film Million Dollar Baby, and now thanks to Rousey she seems to be in her natural habitat. McCann could have been there sooner, turning down opportunities to be on TUF 26 and Dana White’s Contender Series, she wanted no shortcuts, McCann wanted to be there on merit.

There will be another McCann fight before the end of the year, almost certainly with a ranked fighter. Her dream of fighting in Madison Square Garden and winning UFC gold might seem a stretch to some, but McCann has advanced in so many ways in the past 12 months, that forward momentum might have some way to go yet.