2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Keifer MacDonald)
Molly McCann announced her retirement from MMA after her defeat at UFC London earlier this month Molly McCann delivered an emotional speech to Paddy Pimblett and the rest of the Next Generation Gym team after announcing her retirement from MMA at UFC London earlier this month. The 34-year-old called time on her trailblazing career in the sport after a first-round submission loss to Alexia Thainara at the O2 Arena on March 22. McCann, who hails from Norris Green , was originally meant to be fighting Istela Nunes at UFC London but saw her opponent changed less than two weeks before the bout date after Nunes pulled out of the event.
But after being submitted by debutant Thainara, McCann made the shock decision to retire and said that being defeated by an opponent on a week's notice was proof she was not up to the standard required to compete in the UFC anymore. Now, new footage shared on Paddy Pimblett's YouTube channel has revealed the moment he and McCann reunited after the strawweight's shock announcement. Initially, an emotional Pimblett can be seen waiting backstage for McCann before the two share an emotional embrace, with McCann adding: “It’s just time for me now, lad.
" Then, in the dressing room, the former Cage Warriors flyweight champion pays a touching tribute to her coaches Paul Rimmer, Ellis Hampson and Adam Ventre, and gym-mate Pimblett. “The last seven or eight years, yous have changed my life. Even yourself Pad, your career has propelled mine to different levels.
"And I’m really proud of the human that I am now because yous have raised me as the men in my life that I never had. You’ve given me skills and experiences that people can only dream of." Elaborating on her decision to retire, McCann added: "I don't know if it's my age or - I don't know what it is - but the camps are too hard on me to not get the wins, so I'm sorry if it's disappointed you.
It's just sh*t we won't get to fight again together, lad." Pimblett and McCann then shared another tearful embrace. The 30-year-old rose through the ranks of the UFC at a similar time to McCann and the pair enjoyed two incredible nights at UFC London in 2022.
Pimblett is back in the octagon on April 12 when he faces American Michael Chandler..
