Britain's most successful female UFC fighter Molly McCann has traded the octagon for the boxing ring in a remarkable career transformation that saw her retirement last just four days. The 35-year-old Liverpool native, who co-owns Moll & Joel's Rolls coffee shop and delicatessen with business partner Joel McCarthy, is now embarking on a professional boxing career with ambitions to win a world title within the next year.
From UFC Battles to Boxing Dreams
McCann retired from mixed martial arts in March after 14 brutal UFC contests, but within days had signed a 10-fight deal with promoter Eddie Hearn. Her second professional boxing match takes place this Saturday against Ebonie Cotton at Birmingham's NEC, marking a return to the sport that first captured her heart as a 12-year-old watching through a gym window.
The physical toll of her fighting career is evident as McCann describes the injuries she's endured: "I give my hidings and I take my hidings and so they have seen me with snapped ligaments in my knee, broken feet, broken toes, broken hands, stitches, broken legs." This trauma has been particularly difficult for her mother and partner Fran Parman, who struggles with anxiety before fights.
Navigating Prejudice in Combat Sports
As an openly gay woman from Liverpool who supports Everton, McCann has faced her share of challenges in the often-conservative world of combat sports. She describes herself as "a scouse female gay athlete who supports Everton - it's like my cards are marked already." However, she's developed resilience over time, learning when to stand her ground against homophobia and when to let things go.
Regarding UFC president Dana White, known for his association with Donald Trump and tolerance of fighters expressing controversial views, McCann maintains a pragmatic perspective. "When you were about to fight he made you believe you're a gangster," she recalls, noting that he was always courteous to her personally and even made her a UFC ambassador after retirement.
Community Roots and Future Ambitions
Beyond fighting, McCann is deeply committed to her Liverpool community. She helps run a food bank scheme before Everton games and organises fun runs from her cafe to boost physical and mental health in deprived areas. Her political stance focuses on local impact rather than national policies, aiming to leave Liverpool in a better place than she found it.
McCann has ruled out fighting in Saudi Arabia due to her principles, stating "My integrity means more than money." She finds hope in the progress of women's boxing, pointing to seven-figure purses for fighters like Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano as positive developments.
Despite the physical and mental challenges of fight preparation, McCann finds freedom in the boxing ring. "That boxing ring is the only place where nothing else matters and I am free as a fucking bird," she reveals. With her extensive UFC experience, she believes she's on the "express train to a world title by the end of next year or early 2027" and dreams of headlining at Everton's Goodison Park, where her nan would attend as a good omen.
