After two straight knockout wins with a highlight reel spinning back fist TKO in July, Molly McCann is enjoying some newfound fame. “Meatball” Molly spoke about how her life changed during the UFC 281 pre-fight presser on Wednesday.
“It’s been absolutely disgusting, to be honest. Post-fight, I’ll enjoy an ale, I’ll enjoy doing the media with everyone. And then when you get home, it absolutely kicks you in the face because you’re not normal anymore,” she told the media.
“I can’t just walk in front of Frank and Patty’s down the street anymore. I can’t just go to football. So what I’ve had to do is grieve a private life because me life’s not private anymore.
“That’s been something that not everyone would have to deal with. When we start fighting, I think we start to just win a belt. We don’t start for fame, we don’t really start for the money. It’s about the prestige and the honor of winning that belt.”
Because of these new and seemingly overwhelming experiences, McCann sought some advice from the company’s biggest superstar, Conor McGregor.
“I messaged him going, ‘How do you handle this? Because you can blow up, and then you can blow up. I couldn’t quite get me head around how sometimes people are with ya.
“And it was just like. ‘When you get in the gym, it’s just the gym. Don’t let no one else in. Keep everyone outside. Always remember it’s just fighting. You’re a cage warrior. That’s what we are, we’re Cage Warriors champions.
“He said some mad things about ‘Valentina’s gonna get a Mac smacking.’ All these… it was so poetic and it was so lovely.
“Me partner Ellis printed it off and put it in a sign in MSG and it’s in me front room. So everyday, if I’m struggling, or if I’m feeling good but I don’t need to get ahead of meself, got a big fat head and walk around with an ego, it’s to stay grounded and realize that I’m just here to win.”
McCann (13-4), who is coming off a three-fight win streak that all earned her post-fight bonuses, will return to action this Saturday at UFC 281 against Erin Blanchfield.