Evertonian fighter Molly McCann has signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Everton can exclusively reveal.
The diehard Blue will debut at the UFC Liverpool show on 27 May at the Echo Arena, a card headlined by fellow scouser Darren Till.
McCann, who previously fought under the Cage Warriors promotional banner, won their Flyweight World Title when headlining their show at the Echo Arena back in February, stopping Bryony Tyrell in the second round.
Known as “Meatball”, the 27-year-old was set for a defence of her title in September but now makes the step up to MMA’s premier championship and will face Canadian Gillian Robertson (7-1-0).
“The dream has come true,” McCann told evertonfc.com. “Since I started MMA I dreamt of lacing up those black gloves with ‘UFC’ across the top. It’s just crazy to be here now and to be fighting on the card in Liverpool on 27 May.
“It’s amazing to be able to break this news with my Club. I told my family yesterday and they were so proud. There is only so many times you can say that this is the People’s Club but Everton looks after its own. Every time I have a fight coming up, the Club just does that little bit more so hopefully, with the bigger audience, we can turn a few Blues into MMA fans and a few MMA fans into Blues.
“The fans are a big part of why I’m on the Liverpool card. I’ve seen MMA fans and Evertonians on social media rallying behind me, trying to get me on that show and I don’t shut up either so it was probably easier to get me on!
“To have the chance to fight at a UFC event in my home town, I feel so blessed. I won my world title at the Echo Arena and it’s a case of how do you top that? This may not do that – it was my life’s work to win that belt – but this is a step up to a new promotion.
“I leave Cage Warriors as a champion and I arrive at the UFC as a contender – I start at the bottom of the ladder again but I am going to fly up it.
“That starts with Gillian Robertson and I know it will be a tough fight. But cometh the moment, cometh the Meatball – I know I can rise to any challenge. She’s ranked so I’m coming for her spot, and she is in for a shock when she walks out at the Echo and everyone is singing my name.”
Tickets to UFC Fight Night: Liverpool go on general sale on Friday 13 April via the Echo Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase yours.
UFC Newsletter subscribers can access tickets from Thursday 12 April, while UFC Fight Club members can secure theirs from 10am on Wednesday 11 April.
The diehard Blue will debut at the UFC Liverpool show on 27 May at the Echo Arena, a card headlined by fellow scouser Darren Till.
McCann, who previously fought under the Cage Warriors promotional banner, won their Flyweight World Title when headlining their show at the Echo Arena back in February, stopping Bryony Tyrell in the second round.
Known as “Meatball”, the 27-year-old was set for a defence of her title in September but now makes the step up to MMA’s premier championship and will face Canadian Gillian Robertson (7-1-0).
“The dream has come true,” McCann told evertonfc.com. “Since I started MMA I dreamt of lacing up those black gloves with ‘UFC’ across the top. It’s just crazy to be here now and to be fighting on the card in Liverpool on 27 May.
“It’s amazing to be able to break this news with my Club. I told my family yesterday and they were so proud. There is only so many times you can say that this is the People’s Club but Everton looks after its own. Every time I have a fight coming up, the Club just does that little bit more so hopefully, with the bigger audience, we can turn a few Blues into MMA fans and a few MMA fans into Blues.
“The fans are a big part of why I’m on the Liverpool card. I’ve seen MMA fans and Evertonians on social media rallying behind me, trying to get me on that show and I don’t shut up either so it was probably easier to get me on!
“To have the chance to fight at a UFC event in my home town, I feel so blessed. I won my world title at the Echo Arena and it’s a case of how do you top that? This may not do that – it was my life’s work to win that belt – but this is a step up to a new promotion.
“I leave Cage Warriors as a champion and I arrive at the UFC as a contender – I start at the bottom of the ladder again but I am going to fly up it.
“That starts with Gillian Robertson and I know it will be a tough fight. But cometh the moment, cometh the Meatball – I know I can rise to any challenge. She’s ranked so I’m coming for her spot, and she is in for a shock when she walks out at the Echo and everyone is singing my name.”
Tickets to UFC Fight Night: Liverpool go on general sale on Friday 13 April via the Echo Arena Box Office and Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase yours.
UFC Newsletter subscribers can access tickets from Thursday 12 April, while UFC Fight Club members can secure theirs from 10am on Wednesday 11 April.
