Alexia Thainara Dominant in UFC Debut Against Molly McCann
At UFC London, Alexia Thainara looked very impressive as she cruised to a one-sided first-round submission of English fan favorite “Meatball” Molly McCann. The loss tanked McCann’s record to 1-4 in her past 5 bouts. Thainara conversely notched her 10th straight win, improving to 12-1 overall.
As the fight began, the two women traded punches. McCann was landing the harder punches and seemed to be off to a decent start. Alexia Thainara seemed to sense this, shooting for a takedown and dropping McCann to her back.
The Englishwoman managed to land a series of hard elbows on her back while looking for an armbar. Thainara landed a few punches and elbows of her own and managed to avoid the submission danger. She was then able to take the back, and after some resistance from McCann, sink in a rear-naked choke for the first-round submission.
Molly McCann Throws Down the Gloves
Following the fight, McCann threw down her gloves, signifying the end of the veteran’s career. She made her professional debut nearly 10 years ago and fought in the UFC 14 times since joining the promotion in 2018. She finishes with an even 7-7 record in UFC competition, and an overall professional record of 14-8.
In her post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, she explained the decision:
“I started this sport at 24…and I’ve given you all my f***ing heart and soul. Tonight, with that performance, with someone on a week’s notice, it’s not good enough. I’m not coming in here just for a payday. The UFC deserves more, I deserve more, and you all deserve more. [I’ve] gotten to fight in these amazing arenas. Thank you so f***ing much. Look at me! Look at what I’ve managed to do! Thank you and goodnight, UFC.”
As One Career Ends, Another Takes Shape
The retirement announcement is huge news, but let’s not let it overshadow what Alexia Thainara accomplished here. On short notice, she stepped in for her promotional debut at UFC London and defeated a true veteran of the game with ease. With 10 straight wins, the Strawweight division would be wise to take notice. It was a very impressive victory, and she should have some exciting matches in store as she seeks to ramp up the competition and see if the hype holds up when exposed to the fire.
Featured Image credit via Embed from Getty Images
