Molly McCann Announces Retirement Following First-Round Defeat by Alexia Thainara at UFC London

Liverpool's Molly McCann has announced her retirement from mixed martial arts following a first-round submission loss to Alexia Thainara at UFC London. McCann, 34, was outplayed on the ground after being taken down and eventually succumbed to a rear naked choke. This marks the end of a 10-year career in which McCann won 14 of her 22 fights.

Emotional Farewell McCann, who started her MMA journey at the age of 24, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the UFC and its president, Dana White. She stated, "I have given you all my heart and soul. Tonight, with that performance on a week's notice, it's not good enough - the UFC deserves more." Reflecting on her journey, she added, "From a little girl from Norris Green fighting in arenas - look at me, look at what I've managed to do."

Match Recap McCann was aiming to recover from her previous defeat by Bruna Brasil in July. In contrast, Thainara was making her UFC debut. The bout saw both fighters exchanging blows early on, but Thainara secured the first takedown, which proved to be decisive. Despite the crowd's attempts to motivate McCann with chants, Thainara dominated the ground game and eventually secured the rear naked choke.

A Gesture of Retirement An emotional McCann removed her gloves in the octagon, a traditional sign of retirement, as her stablemate Paddy Pimblett watched with tears in his eyes. McCann, a former flyweight champion in the UK-based promotion Cage Warriors, won seven of her 14 bouts in the UFC.

Legacy and Impact McCann's retirement marks the end of a significant chapter in MMA, highlighting her resilience and dedication to the sport. Her journey from a young fighter in Liverpool to competing on the global stage of the UFC is a testament to her hard work and passion.

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