Molly McCann contemplated retirement after struggling a fractured leg throughout her loss to Bruna Brasil final July however believes her finest is but to come back.
Well-liked UFC strawweight ‘Meatball’ McCann suffered the harm at UFC 304 with the primary kick of the battle and consequently wasn’t in a position to get well, dropping a unanimous choice to Brasil.
The consequence was the 34-year-old’s third loss in 4 fights, taking her file to 14-7 however after time spent targeted on restoration, McCann has huge plans for her future.
“I’ve been to hell and back,” McCann informed Sky Sports activities forward of her conflict with Alexia Thainara on Saturday.
“For those who’re a good marital artist and when you’ve got any pores and skin within the recreation then you’ll at all times discover a technique to adapt and overcome and develop with the game.
“I do not assume we understood the severity of the accidents that I had within the final battle. I simply thought I used to be actually beat up after which a few days later after we received the consequence we realised the harm I sustained.
“That was an extended three months. I wasn’t allowed bodily contact for round 10-12 weeks which was robust to cope with when your complete life is preventing.
“I lost about 30 per cent of my hamstring and 20 per cent of my calf in that [medical] boot.
“I might go into the gymnasium wanting on the weights or the anti-gravity machine and I might assume: ‘Am I returning from this?'”
‘I was probably at my lowest’
McCann’s loss to Brasil was her third loss in 4 fights taking her file to 14-7
The defeat to Brasil pushed McCann right into a low level however the Liverpudlian has since pushed herself tougher to make a powerful comeback.
“I was probably at my lowest,” McCann added.
“I took it really hard because I had trained so much, I didn’t cut corners and even when you give everything you don’t deserve to win and that was the bitter pill I had to swallow.
“I used to be beat up, my physique was in bits, I used to be simply grieving however I wouldn’t be doing this if I had one ounce of doubt that I shouldn’t be.”
Despite her defeats having a substantial impact on her, McCann says she still wouldn’t change it.
“I want some adversity to rise up there and go once more. Not many individuals can overcome as many downs as I’ve and I am nonetheless right here.
“Maya Angelou said: ‘We must endure defeat but we must never be defeated’, and sometimes it takes defeat to realise that.
“There have been sure moments after I may have been completed in that battle [against Brasil], however I managed to get by on one leg.”
‘Opened a coffee shop, went to Ibiza, got my head down’
The severity of McCann’s injury meant she was forced to take time away from the sport she loves.
However, this opened up new avenues for her to explore as she shifted her focus away from MMA and to recovery.
“I simply received again on the horse, opened up a brand new espresso store, had fun in Ibiza in the summertime, and received my head again down,” McCann said.
“I am extra hands-on with my companies now too, I spent a while in Scotland getting again to nature and going enjoyable stuff.
“I realised my support system and my friends are a lot more imperative than I thought.”
Dropping down a weight class to strawweight for the primary time has additionally given her a contemporary outlook on her profession.
“My whole game is different at this weight compared to 125kg, there’s more patience and it’s less frantic,” McCann mentioned.
“I’ve been finding my way back to loving the sport and I think in the last few weeks it’s peaked at the right time.”
Whereas it might be tough to high her spinning elbow knockout, McCann believes that her finest remains to be to come back.
“I think you’re going to see something where you’ll be like: ‘Where has that come from?'” she added.
“It will be a better version of me on Saturday. The finishers I might not get, but for the way I overcome any obstacle, I just can’t wait.
“My finest days are nonetheless to come back.”
