Molly McCann has admitted she’s not “good enough” to remain in the UFC after deciding to retire following her latest bout.
McCann, 34, suffered her fourth loss in five outings at London’s O2 Arena against newcomer Alexia Thainara. From the outset, ‘Meatball’ McCann charged into the Octagon, keen on establishing dominance, but she found herself on the mat swiftly as the Brazilian adeptly grounded the fight, prompting a submission from McCann.
Reflecting on her decision post-fight in an interview with TNT Sports, McCann said when asked when she began contemplating retirement: “When I broke my leg last year. It took me everything to get back, and it was really hard for my body. I’m no spring chicken, and everything kept breaking in the camp. Things were going wrong.”
Despite giving her all to portray herself at her best inside the cage, McCann’s first-round defeat led her to a tough conclusion: “I just give the best account of myself. Being in there, I felt fine. I was amped. I was pumped, but to be outmanoeuvred in the first round, I’m not good enough to be in there. And that is okay. I’m not here to makeup numbers, I’m here to win. If I’m not winning a fight like that, then I don’t deserve to wear the gloves, in my opinion. This is the best of the best in the world. It doesn’t matter what I’ve done in my past, and where I’ve took this sport, you don’t live off your past performances. I’m not good enough right now, that is the top and the bottom of it.”
An emotional McCann announced her decision to step away from the sport, and is now eagerly anticipating the next chapter of her life outside of the cage. Despite not securing a world title within the promotion, her legacy as a trailblazer for British MMA is cemented. In a historic bout against Priscila Cachoeira in 2019, McCann made headlines by becoming the first British woman to triumph in the top-tier promotion.
Her friend and fellow fighter Paddy Pimblett, visibly tearful after the fight, later expressed his heartache on social media with a poignant tribute to McCann. He reflected on their long-standing friendship, saying: “Heartbreaking night last night watching my big sister retire.”
Pimblett also reaffirmed his unwavering support for McCann: “Been there with her from the start and will always be there,” he added. “This may be the end of her fighting career, but it’s far from the end of mine and her friendship. That’s till death do us part. UK MMA women’s legend, first English woman to get a win in the UFC and combat sports history her legacy will live on forever. Emotional isn’t even the word for last night but even when I was crying the ‘Meatball’ will never fail to make me laugh. Love you Molly McCann and [you] always will [be] me big sis.”
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