Molly McCann talked a very big game prior to her UFC debut in Liverpool.
Only two fighters missed weight for the UFC’s Liverpool debut – Molly McCann and Darren Till – both of whom happen to be the hometown heroes.
McCann hit the scales just before the deadline was set to pass on Friday. She weighed in at 127lbs for her flyweight meeting with former TUF competitor Gillian Robertson. She was given an extra hour to cut the last pound, but when she reemerged, she weighed exactly the same. McCann had to forfeit 20% of her purse and ensure she weighed no more than 136lbs upon checking in on fight night.
Even still, as a former Cage Warriors champion, there was a lot of hype surrounding her first fight on the big show. In the build-up, she even claimed that a win could earn her a match-up against Valentina Shevchenko, a fighter who many believe is the uncrowned queen of the 125 lb division.
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Out cold
The people of Liverpool needed something to cheer about after Saturday night. That defeat in the Champions League final to Real Madrid really soured the mood of the city. However, once McCann made her walk to the Octagon, the atmosphere inside the Arena really livened up.
Unfortunately, ‘Meatball’ just didn’t get the win the crowd would have been hoping for. She had the better of the exchanges on the feet, but it was all Robertson on the ground. Robertson was on the hunt for the sub in the first round but was unable to lock any in. McCann successfully defended all the arm triangle and armbar attempts that were thrown her way in the first frame.
Robertson ultimately got the finish in the second. She was able to trip McCann down to the mat before quickly taking her back. From there, she was able to lock in the rear-naked choke. McCann refused to tap and Robertson kept the squeeze on until the lights went out around the 2:05 mark. The referee received some criticism for how long it took him to step in. McCann appeared to be out for a number of seconds before the fight was officially stopped.
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That’s one way to silence a crowd.
