- By Paul Battison
- ` Sport
1 hour ago
image source, Getty Images
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McCann's victory was her first by submission in 20 fights.
Britain's Molly McCann defeated Diana Belbita in the first round with a dominant performance in her strawweight debut at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
McCann, 33, finished the Romanian with an armbar one second before the end of the round.
It was a return to form for McCann, who says she had considered retirement after defeats in her two previous fights.
“It feels great [to be at strawweight]” said McCann.
“I would like to take this time to apologize to the UFC, myself and my fans for not being at the right weight and for my last two performances. But today I forgive myself.”
McCann had spent her entire UFC career, which included seven wins from 12 fights, at flyweight, but first-round losses to Erin Blanchfield in November 2022 and Julija Stoliarenko seven months later left her in doubt about her future in the sport.
McCann followed the advice of her trainer Paul Rimmer and decided to move down to strawweight. She said she was “in the best shape of my life” heading into the fight with 27-year-old Belbita.
McCann, who was a bookmakers' favorite before the fight, showed a composed expression heading into the fight compared to the intensity she has shown in recent encounters.
McCann was also accompanied by the walkout song from her boyfriend Ryan Curtis, who was involved in a “life-changing” training accident last month.
McCann began the fight with determination, landing two devastating overhand rights before controlling the early stages by landing shots and quickly moving out of Belbita's reach.
As the round progressed, McCann's confidence grew as she rotated through her arsenal, executing a spinning back kick and the signature spinning back elbow.
But it was in the exchanges that the fight was decided, as McCann took Belbita to the ground, went on the full attack and delivered a series of elbow throws.
A few seconds before the end of the round, McCann applied an armbar and secured the victory.
It was a poetic finish for McCann, whose last two UFC losses also came by armbar, and she fell to the canvas as she celebrated the moment.
The win was also her second over Belbita, whom she defeated by unanimous decision in 2019.
“Say less, do more. The plan was to become 125-pound world champion, but it didn’t work out,” McCann said.
“If the plan doesn’t work, you don’t change the goal, you change the plan. My coach promised me this would happen and I listened.”
“Take each day as it comes. I will spend time with my family. And I did some work at my gym – I’m going to have a beer and see you soon.”
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