MMA: 'Meatball' Molly McCann ready to thrill the Liverpool Olympia at Shinobi MMA
'It's the same dance, just a different song,' says McCann
Molly McCann is ready to show Liverpool what they have been missing when she takes on Angela Pink at Shinobi MMA Fighting Championships 9 at the Liverpool Olympia tonight.
McCann, who has a professional record of 3-1, welcomes late-replacement Pink into the cage after SBG fighter Helen Copus was forced to pull out with appendicitis.
26-year-old McCann won her last fight with a knock-out of Macicilia Benkhettache in just over one minute, and she is hoping for a similar result against the American, Pink.
She told the ECHO: “I just can’t wait to walk out. I have a Scouse anthem to walk out to, it’ll get everyone going.
“It’s been three years since I’ve fought here. When I was here last I think I was starting to make mini-waves - now I feel like I’m making tsunamis.
“So I just can’t wait to hear my name announced. It’s going to be great, nothing gets you up as much as a hometown advantage. I’m very excited.
“I fight on emotion, and when the crowd is going it pumps me up. There’s a reason why I have only lost once. That’s because I can use the crowd and the energy to my advantage.
“I can’t see this getting out of the first round. I feel like I’m in my stride. I feel like being back at Next Generation gym with Paul Rimmer, and being around the likes of Paddy (Pimblett), Ellis (Hampson) and Chris (Fishgold) I feel invincible. It’s a good mindset to be in.”
McCann, who has been splitting her time between training at Next Generation MMA and looking after her mother in Bournemouth during her preparations for the fight, admits the late change of opponent (Pink was drafted in earlier this week) presents new problems for her to solve.
She also paid tribute to Pink for fighting on such short notice, and promised her opponent a night to remember - just not inside the cage.
“It shows that she’s a fighter. You have some people who eat, sleep and breathe fighting. I believe she had a tough time growing up so she is not one to be messed about with,” she said.
“I was expecting to fight a certain style of opponent - a grappler. I’ve been working my wrestling and jiu-jitsu. She is a very similar fighter to me, she is a striker. But I am going in there to take her head off.
“But you don’t travel half the world for a laugh. She is coming to fight. I’ve done it, I know what the mindset is like. But after the fight I’ve told her coach that I will be taking them both out after and we will paint the town blue!”
McCann, nicknamed ‘Meatball’, is a huge Evertonian and will be heading to Southampton on Sunday hoping that she can celebrate a double victory - one for her, and another for her beloved Blues.
The Toffees invited McCann to Finch Farm this week to meet the players, and she warned them that they had better keep their end of the bargain.
Molly McCann's Everton-themed fight wear
She said: “They invited me down to present me with a shirt and introduce me to the players. They said I could come down and train in their gym. They have taken me under their wing. I go to the matches, support the team and wear the colours (for fights). It’s nice that the club have started to take an interest. It feels like I’m appreciated.
“I told big Rom (Lukaku), I’m getting the coach at 7am to go to Southampton, so that means I will have had no sleep because I will be staying up partying and celebrating my win - so I said he best give me a decent game, otherwise I’ll come looking for him!”
Whatever happens, McCann insists she will be celebrating a victory on Saturday night.
“For me, this is the most tickets I’ve sold for a fight. But it’s the same dance, just a different song. The opponent has changed but the outcome will be exactly the same.”
Shinobi War 9 is headlined by a bout between Team Kaobon’s Mike Grundy and Fouad Mesdari. Next Generation’s Adam Ventre also returns to take on unbeaten Frenchman Mathieu Morciano. Ventre participated in one of the best fights of recent years when he fought Conor McGregor team-mate Dylan Tuke at Shinobi earlier this year.
Liv Echo
