London — Calling London her “safe space,” it’s clear Molly McCann is happy to be fighting on English soil at UFC London this weekend.
Strawweight McCann (14-7) is looking to bounce back from a loss to Bruna Brasil when she takes on newcomer Alexia Thainara. Brazil’s Thainara is replacing Istela Nunes on short notice, making the build-up to the fight a bit hectic for “Meatball” Molly.
Still, the key in this fight is to go out and have fun, she told media outlets including Cageside Press on Thursday. “My career has been one filled with many ups and many downs. And it’s not the same as quite a lot of other fighters’ careers. It’s just about enjoying it, and making sure my performance is the one I want it to be.”
When it comes to the change of opponents at UFC London, “not much has changed,” said McCann. “The fighting style’s aren’t too much dissimilar. The good thing about Brazilians is they always bring it, and they’ve got lots of passion. They want to come and bring the fight, and I think both opponents have that, and they meet that within me also.”
The style that Thainara brings is also quite familiar. “This is a style I’ve faced in near enough every single fight of my career, so I’m very thankful she took the fight. I think it’s a bigger win for me with her, she’s a prospect, her record’s brilliant and the only loss she’s got is to my last fight, so I did give Bruna Brasil a What’s App, I went ‘hey love, how did you find that fight?’ and we had a little back-and-forth.”
As it turns out, McCann and Brasil had become friends following their bout, with Brasil inviting the Brit to train with her. While that hasn’t happened yet, training with Brasil may still happen this summer, especially if McCann has a fight booked. Either way, it’s a new approach for a fighter who has always fought with an edge.
“I think when I came into the UFC, it was all ‘grrr’ and anger. That’s really kind of what Scousers personify, it’s just loud isn’t it?” admitted McCann. “And I think the more you’ve probably seen me mature in front of your eyes, [you] understand it doesn’t have to be about emotion. Even though I get emotional in the cage and my fighting style is emotional, I’m much more mature, and I don’t have to hate opponents when I’m fighting against them.”
Watch the full UFC London media day appearance by Molly McCann above.
