Molly McCann RETIRES after being choked out in first round at UFC London, with emotional Paddy Pimblett watching on, as ‘Meatball’ bows out with classic final words

McCann thanked likes of Dana White as she announced her UFC career was over

She debuted in 2018, enjoying success alongside close friend Pimblett along way

Molly McCann has announced her retirement from MMA after her loss at UFC London.

McCann, who is from Liverpool, went out with a fight in her home country as she tapped out to debutant Alexia Thainara at the O2 Arena on Saturday evening.

The Everton supporter, who won over fans due to the heart-on-the-sleeve nature of her performances and heartwarming friendship with fellow Liverpudlian UFC star Paddy Pimblett, fought a total of 14 times in the promotion.

She won seven of those bouts, the most recent coming in February last year before back-to-back defeats by Bruna Brasil and Thainara.

McCann tapped out with 28 seconds remaining of the first round, with Thainara, 27, twerking in the middle of the octagon seconds later in celebration.

But it was the post-fight antics that saw the most significant events of the encounter take place, with an emotional McCann taking to the microphone as she said: ‘Thank you and good night, UFC’.

Molly McCann announced her retirement from the UFC after a first round loss at UFC London

Molly McCann announced her retirement from the UFC after a first round loss at UFC London

‘Meatball’ Molly was choked out in the first round by debutant Alexia Thainara, who had taken the fight on nine days’ notice

An emotional Paddy Pimblett, who is close friends with McCann, gave a standing ovation

An emotional Paddy Pimblett, who is close friends with McCann, gave a standing ovation

She added: ‘UFC, Dana, Gunther, Mick, f***ing hell, all of you. I started this sport at 24, I walked into that gym with these three boys and I have given you all my f***ing heart and soul.

‘But tonight, with that performance with someone on a week notice, it’s not good enough, I’m not coming in here just for the pay day. The UFC deserves more, I deserve more, and you all deserve more. So from this little girl from Norris Green who has got to fight in these arenas, thank you so f***ing much.

‘To the little girls at home, look at me, look what I managed to do, just two hands and two elbows and I had a good go. UFC Europe, UFC PI, the UFC, thank you so much, and Dana, if you ever need an ambassador to fly around Europe, I’m good on the ale.’

‘Meatball’ Molly had vowed to showcase a refined, mature performance against short-notice opponent Thainara, who she said has ‘flown across the world to take her head off.’

With the final sparring session of her camp in the bag, she received the phone call every fighter dreads, with her manager Graham Boyland breaking the news her scheduled opponent had pulled out.

But Thainara, a dangerous prospect making her UFC debut accepted the call on nine days’ notice to jump into enemy territory in front of 18,000 fans in London.

‘Thursday I finished my last spar, saw Graham’s waving emoji pop up on my phone, I said “do not tell me my opponent has pulled out”‘, she revealed.

‘You prepare for a certain face but the style isn’t too different,’ she added.

Molly said both she and the UFC ‘deserve better’ following the seventh loss of her career in the company

She met Pimblett when they started training together in 2013 before they formed friendship

She met Pimblett when they started training together in 2013 before they formed friendship

She enjoyed success against the likes of Luana Caroline and Hannah Goldy during her journey

She enjoyed success against the likes of Luana Caroline and Hannah Goldy during her journey

Pimblett and McCann met in 2013, when they started training together at Liverpool’s Next Generation MMA, They formed a strong friendship, and were regularly seen supporting each other at their fights.

Having made her debut in 2015, meanwhile, McCann fought for the likes of Shock n’ Awe and Cage Warriors as she worked her way up to the UFC.

She lost to Gillian Robertson on her UFC debut in 2018, and enjoyed success against the likes of Luana Caroline and Hannah Goldy during her journey.

But that journey has now come to and end, with the likes of White and Pimblett in attendance at the O2 to give the 34-year-old a round of applause as she announced the news.