UFC London: Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann steal the show again with finishes, bonuses
- Pimblett submits Jordan Leavitt on Saturday’s main card at O2 Arena, while McCann scores highlight reel TKO over Hannah Goldie
- Liverpudlian training partners were the bright spots on disappointing night, with main event ending because of injury in 15 seconds
Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann stole the show at Saturday’s UFC London event – a night that otherwise failed to live up to expectations.
The two Britons, who train together at Next Generation MMA Liverpool, were in action on the main card. Pimblett, a rising star in the UFC lightweight division, picked up a second-round submission win over Jordan Leavitt, while McCann scored a dizzying first-round TKO over Hannah Goldie at flyweight.
Both victories sent the packed O2 Arena into a frenzy of excitement.
Pimblett’s (19-3) submission win over Leavitt, which came after he was out-grappled in round one, was his third in the UFC, after first-round stoppages of Luigi Vendramini and Rodrigo Vargas. But the 27-year-old, who is one of the fastest-rising stars in MMA today, was not satisfied with his performance.
“That’s not me,” he told commentator Michael Bisping. “That was s***. Pardon my French, but I’m better than that.”
Pimblett then dedicated his performance to a friend he lost to suicide recently.
McCann (13-4) beat Goldie two fights earlier on the main card. The 32-year-old sealed the deal with a highlight reel sequence of strikes. It was her second such finish in a row after a sizzling knockout of Luana Carolina in March, also in London.