Molly McCann might never top electric spinning elbow finish, but her fights will get even better
Molly McCann scored a spectacular KO the last time the UFC came to London; "Every moment of adversity I've overcome, it was all worth it for that moment," says McCann as she celebrates the rapid growth of women's sport this year
Friday 22 July 2022 10:03, UK
The last time the UFC came to London, Molly McCann delivering a stunning performance, spinning round with a remarkable elbow strike to knock Luana Carolina cold.
As she prepares to fight Hannah Goldy on Saturday at the O2 Arena, McCann believes she might never have a better single moment in her career, but she will have better fights.
"It would be like a World Cup winning penalty, if I could explain to the football fans. Or it would be like winning an Olympic gold medal when Usain Bolt crossed the line. I've spent 20 years in and out of combat sports and sports as a whole and every moment of adversity I've overcome, it was all worth it for that moment," McCann told Sky Sports.
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"Every low, every injury, every hardship, every session I was crying on the mat. Every punch, every knee, every tooth lost, it was all worth it."
She likened the occasion at the O2 to Natasha Jonas' epic Olympic quarter-final with Katie Taylor when the crowd broke the decibel level record for sound at London 2012.
"When I got in there, they're chanting my name, it was like being at a football match. I have never heard a crowd shout for a women like that in my life," she said.
"I have never heard anything quite like that. It reminded me of Katie Taylor-Natasha Jonas at the Olympic Games when they boxed.
"I just got in there and just felt like this was my moment. This was my time and I bladdered her the first round. I nearly got her out of there. Couldn't believe she was still standing. I thought, 'What am I going to have to do here?'
"The next round I chose to slow the fight down, left it for the last round.
''Imagine that you're playing football, they need a goal, it's the second half of extra time, you know that team's coming so you know you just need to weather the storm.
"You seen me set it up and move the arm, gave her a second and I spun like my life depended on it and I will never forget the roar from that crowd… It's a moment that will stay with me forever."
She added, "I'll never top that finish, but my fights can top that fight and that's what I want to bring the fans."
Another key moment for McCann looms this weekend. "Self-belief supersedes genius if applied correctly. So we all know I'm not a genius but my self-belief and my resilience to win is big so I'm just ready. I know I can flatline someone. So watch me do it again," she said.
McCann used to play football before completing the switch to MMA a decade ago. She heralds the rapid growth of women's sport, not only in mixed martial arts but also more broadly.
"I feel like it's been a massive year for women in sport. My knockout, I went to Madison Square Garden to watch Katie Taylor headline, I went to Barcelona-Real Madrid to watch the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Just watching the Euros, it's really good to see everyone getting behind women. Not much sexism, everyone's just happy," she said.
"Women's support is different and you're seeing it in these Euros, it's just different."
The biggest fight in the history of women's boxing - Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall - is live on Sky Sports on Saturday, September 10. Be part of history and buy tickets for the London showdown here.
