Molly McCann lit up the O2 Arena on Saturday at the UFC London event with a blistering TKO of Hannah Goldy. After the win, the Liverpudlian bolted out of the cage and flew through the stands. Moments later, McCann was seen necking Howler Head whiskey while celebrating her friend Paddy Pimblett, who went on to win against Jordan Leavitt.
The win for McCann was her second spinning back elbow finish in a row. She beat Luana Carolina by that method back in March. Prior to that McCann took a unanimous decision over Ji Yeon Kim.
With three wins in a row, McCann is now creeping towards the UFC flyweight rankings.
At the post-fight press conference McCann discussed what she wants to happen next and how she sees herself eventually getting a fight with champion Valentina Shevchenko.
“I never call anyone out, that’s not for me to do,” she said (ht MMA Fighting). “But when you talk about legacy, prestige, honor, who’s the best in the game? It’s Valentina. Am I Valentina-ready yet? No, come on. Am I Antonina-ready? Let’s see. I believe I am.”
Antonina Shevchenko, the older sister of Valentina Shevchenko, is currently 10-4 in her career and 5-4 in the UFC. Last time out she took a split decision win over Cortney Casey.
“This isn’t like a diss,” clarified McCann. “But I genuinely think this is an amazing fight to have and I know if they do one fight camp for me, if I ever make it to [Valentina] Shevchenko they’ll have the blueprint. But I’ll also have the blueprint because I’ll know how to beat her sister. So with the greatest respect, I’ve said her name because I think she’s the best.”
In addition to talking about potential opponents, McCann also discussed her own evolution in the cage — as demonstrated by these last three victories.
“I gave you fight IQ. I gave you patience. In positions where I might have been taken down, submitted, controlled, none of that. And I was against the cage and some bird went, ‘Hey girl, you smell nice.’ I was like, ‘What?’ In that moment, the whole fight changed.
“I’m going to be deadly honest with you, sometimes I go back and forth in my mind, ‘Am I who I think I am? Am I going to leave the legacy I think I am?’ And then [Pimblett] goes, ‘Shut up, you’re the ‘Meatball.’ Of course you are.’”
“What I can tell you is I had a lot more faith in myself,” McCann added. “I believed in myself more. I believe it’s my time to be where I’m supposed to be. I believe I’ve learned all the lessons that I’m supposed to have learned.”
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