Molly McCann dug down deep to snap losing skid at UFC Vegas 85: “I couldn’t have done any better”

By Fernando Quiles
– February 4, 2024

Molly McCann feels a huge weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

Riding high off a three-fight winning streak, “Meatball” would soon find herself on the wrong end of back-to-back first-round submissions. Her streak ended at the hands of Erin Blanchfield back in November 2022, and then she was submitted by Julija Stoliarenko in her home country. It certainly felt like McCann’s back was against the wall going into UFC Vegas 85, but she showed up and showed out with a first-round armbar finish against Diana Belbiţă.

McCann admits this was an important fight for her career.

RELATED: UFC VEGAS 85 RESULTS: MOLLY MCCANN STOPS DIANA BELBITA (VIDEO) 

Molly McCann Talks Significant Of UFC Vegas 85 Win
McCann showed raw emotion immediately after snagging her first victory since July 2022. During her post-fight media scrum, “Meatball” reflected on the disaster that was her two fights prior to this past Saturday, both of which were in big spots (via MMAJunkie.com).

“It’s just been the hardest 14 months of my life,” McCann said at the UFC Fight Night 235 post-fight press conference. “My biggest dream was to fight at MSG, and (I) got destroyed. I got co-main event at London and got destroyed.

“I had to really dig in deep to see if I really wanted it. My coach pulled me aside and asked, ‘How much do you really want to be a champion? It’s going to cost that to make this weight and to achieve at this weight.’ Every single person online doubted me. Every single person gave me hell. That’s icing on top of the cake, that performance. It’s not going to shut them up, obviously, but I couldn’t have done any better. It was mixed martial arts.”

With McCann now back in the win column, she could be taking a slow road back to the Octagon depending on how her hand heals. McCann revealed her sore hand will be X-rayed and she will decide what to do depending on the results.