Molly McCann Advised To 'Take Time' & Focus On Jiu-Jitsu Improvement Before UFC Return: 'Leave It A Year, Go To Brazil…'

While a number of standout fighters from the United Kingdom are reflecting on impressive victories at this past weekend’s event in London, including Tom Aspinall and Paul Craig, the same can’t be said for Molly McCann.

“Meatball,” a former Cage Warriors champion, returned to action in the co-main event spot, looking to repeat a pair of successes she recorded at The O2 last year. But against Julija Stoliarenko, the Liverpudlian was sent on a losing skid.

McCann had her rise up the 125-pound ladder stalled last year by Erin Blanchfield, who submitted her via a kimura hold in round one of their UFC 281 contest last November.

On Saturday night, proceedings were ended even earlier, with Lithuania’s Stoliarenko utilizing an armbar to force a tap from McCann in under two minutes.

Given her struggle getting over the 2022 defeat in New York City, many have pondered where McCann will go from here, having previously stated that she won’t compete unless an upwards trajectory is possible.

In pursuit of that, however, “Meatball” has already committed to making a drop to the strawweight division. Before that, though, she’s been advised to take time to focus on the holes in her mixed martial arts game.

Bisping Believes McCann Would Benefit From A Break

During a recent interview with Sky Sports, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping reflected on McCann’s setback, having called the action from cageside in England’s capital this past weekend.

Like many have in the aftermath of UFC London, “The Count” pointed to an insufficient jiu-jitsu game as the one area McCann must work on if she’s to find success inside the Octagon.

And to shore up that realm, Bisping believes the Liverpool native would benefit from an extended break from the Octagon and some traveling.

“Molly wears her heart on her sleeve, and that’s the way she fights as well. And she brings such entertainment, she really does,” Bisping said. “But you’ve gotta have the well-rounded skills. You’ve gotta be able to compete on the ground. She’s a fantastic boxer, she’s a ferocious striker, and we love everything about her. But maybe there’s a little work to do there.

“She’s far from over. Do some work, focus on some more jiu-jitsu. These are all things that can be learned,” Bisping continued. “The jiu-jitsu is letting her down. She needs to focus on that, one hundred percent… Take a little time. Leave it a year. Go down to Brazil. Go wherever. Travel the world. Go to some places, soak in as many different styles of martial arts and grappling, and wrestling, and jiu-jitsu, as you can. Take a little time off… Come back, six, nine months, as a far more improved fighter.”

It remains to be seen whether McCann will follow that advice, having outlined her intention to return “sooner rather than later” while committing to a 115-pound move in her first post-fight statement.

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