It was a heartbreaking night time for Paddy Pimblett in London.
Whereas the Liverpudlian didn’t step contained in the Octagon, his “large sister” Molly McCann did in hopes of climbing again into the win column following a unanimous resolution loss to Bruna Brasil in July. Sadly, that might not be the case.
Squaring off with Brazilian newcomer Alexia Thainara, McCann was rapidly placed on her again earlier than being submitted within the ultimate 30 seconds of the opening spherical through a rear-naked choke.
Having misplaced 4 of her final 5, Molly McCann determined that it was time to put down her gloves and stroll away from the game. Throughout her post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, ‘Meatball’ delivered an emotional handle that had everybody, together with Pimblett, in tears.
Within the crowd at UFC London, Pimblett was noticed visibly emotional throughout McCann’s retirement speech.
Later, Pimblett would take to Instagram and share his heartfelt response to McCann’s retirement.
“Heartbreaking night time final night time watching my large sister retire,” Pimblett wrote. “Been there together with her from the beginning and can all the time be there. This can be the top of her preventing profession, nevertheless it’s removed from the top of mine and her friendship. That’s until demise do us half. UK MMA girls’s legend, first English girl to get a win within the UFC, and has top-of-the-line knockouts in girls’s UFC and fight sports activities historical past.
“Her legacy will reside on endlessly. Emotional isn’t even the phrase for final night time, however even once I was crying, the Meatball won’t ever fail to make me chuckle when she mentioned, ‘Haven’t carried out dangerous for a lesbo who was working in Subway, have I?’ Love u @meatballmolly and all the time will, me large sis.”
Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann turned UFC sensations in a single day
Pimblett and McCann turned bonafide stars in March 2022 throughout a Battle Night time card in London. Competing alongside each other, ‘Meatball’ scored a viral spinning back-elbow knockout of Luana Carolina. Two fights later, ‘The Baddy’ choked out Rodrigo Vargas, incomes his second straight first-round submission victory contained in the Octagon.
Whereas it’s unhappy that we’ll by no means see the dynamic duo compete collectively on the identical card once more, there’s little question that Pimblett and McCann might be mainstays at UFC occasions—a technique or one other—for years to return.
Pimblett might be again in motion on Saturday, April 12 when he meets former Bellator champion ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler within the co-main occasion of UFC 314 in Miami.
