Following her UFC 281 submission defeat, Molly McCann announced she is taking a break from the sport.
Molly McCann had been on a three-fight winning streak prior to the Erin Blanchfield fight. Renowned for her entertaining boxing and kickboxing-focused style, “Meatball” has become a fan favorite in the years since her May 2018 Octagon debut. Her first fight with the UFC was rife with setbacks due to McCann both missing weight and losing via technical submission.
Her fights since then, though, have displayed high-level cardio, dangerous striking, and an improved ground game. In 2022, along with rising lightweight star Paddy Pimblett, McCann has enjoyed a notable uptick in fame and notoriety. With this in mind, it’s come as a surprise to many that she’s choosing now to take a break.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Molly McCann shed light on her decision to take a step back from the sport.
“I Hit My Ceiling” – Molly McCann On The Challenges She’s Faced This Year
Molly McCann explained that her elevated fame and celebrity-status this year has impacted her personal life. She cited issues with anxiety in her day-to-day life and focus on the ‘Weapons Down Gloves Up’ campaign as contributing factors.
“In August I hit my ceiling in terms of my mental capacity. I was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. I was getting to grips with being fairly known, but nobody can prepare you for not having a personal life anymore,” McCann explained.
“There were four months where every day I was waking up and this horrible heartbeat wasn’t leaving me. This dull anxious feeling in my belly and I couldn’t stop crying. I was just completely done in, and I couldn’t cope with how much my life had changed and my mind hadn’t been given time to catch up.”
Molly McCann explained that while she’s proud of her charity work with ‘Weapons Down Gloves Up’, the level of crime in Liverpool has gotten to her emotionally. In more recent months, the UFC flyweight star has spent time with some of the England women’s football team. The Lionesses won the World Cup this year and, much like McCann, have become much bigger stars at the mainstream level.
Molly McCann believes taking the Christmas season off from the fight game will greatly help her mentally. Her already discussing resuming training suggests this break won’t be for too long.
“I’ll probably start training out there again and getting the love for it back,” Molly McCann said. “I’ll do a pre-season in the heat and just enjoy myself. I’m looking forward to that and hitting the ground running next year.”
All Quotes From Sky Sports.