UFC Boston: Molly McCann Makes it 3 On The Bounce
Molly McCann started 2019 with her UFC career hanging by a thread, but things are very different as the year draws to a close. Wins in London, Greenville and now Boston have seen McCann firmly establish herself in the UFC women’s flyweight division.
McCann was seeking her first UFC stoppage and while it didn’t quite come, she closed out a dominant 30-26 decision over UFC debutant Diana Belbita, all 3 judges seeing it the same way.
Seeking that finish saw McCann return to the old brawling version we have previously seen. Belbita looked as though she was capable of upsetting the Liverpool fighter, as she looked the tighter fighter on the feet, with McCann too intent on making a statement.
Belbita looked nothing like the buggest outsider on the card in the opening few minutes. Her jab started to mark up McCann’s eye and she was outstriking her favoured opponent as McCann was loading up too much on her punches. But a late takedown and the heavy punches that followed swung the round back McCann’s way.
The stoppage that McCann craved, very nearly came in the 2nd, after being docked a point for a blatant fence grab, Belbita was dragged to the floor and she had to soak up plenty of ground and pound. A stoppage looked certain, but an incredibly tough Belbita somehow survived the ‘meatball’ onslaught.
The 3rd saw McCann return to what we saw in her previous fight with Ariane Lipski, sticking and moving to finish the fight in complete control.
Belbita had to absorb plenty, and took everything that was thrown at her, and despite coming up short she showed those pre-fight odds were a little wide of the mark.
McCann now 10-2 has overcome that difficult start to her UFC career, and now rides into 2020 and with a 3-fight win streak and certain to face a top 15 opponent next up. There will be tougher challengers ahead, but you have to keep winning to put yourself in reach of climbing the summit, and McCann of late has been doing exactly that.
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