Jul 22, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Molly McCann (red gloves) prior to the fight against Julija Stoliarenko (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

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UFC London: Molly McCann vs Alexia Thainara Head To Head Record, Tale Of The Tape And More!

Get to know the details of Molly McCann vs. Alexia Thainara fight including their MMA journey, record and more!

The UFC Fight Night 255 card (UFC London) continues to take shape with an exciting women’s strawweight clash. Molly McCann faces Brazilian prospect Alexia Thainara in what promises to be a thrilling matchup. McCann, the Liverpool native brings her fan-friendly style to the octagon once again. Her nickname ‘Meatball’ might make you chuckle, but her fighting skills are no laughing matter.

Thainara steps in as a late replacement for Istela Nunes, who withdrew for unknown reasons. The Brazilian newcomer earned her UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series last September. This short-notice debut gives Thainara a golden opportunity to make an immediate impact in the strawweight division. With McCann’s tendency for exciting fights and Thainara’s submission-heavy record, fans might be in for something special.

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Molly McCann’s MMA Journey

Molly McCann’s path to the UFC has been paved with grit and determination. She began her fighting career in Liverpool while working at Subway to make ends meet. McCann built her reputation on the regional circuit, capturing championships in Shock N’ Awe and Cage Warriors before signing with the UFC in 2018 with an impressive 7-1 record.

McCann’s UFC career has been a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. After a submission loss in her debut, she strung together three straight unanimous decision victories over Priscila Cachoeira, Ariane Lipski, and Diana Belbița. However, back-to-back losses to Taila Santos and Lara Procópio threatened her UFC future.

Remember when Molly McCann got back to back spinning back elbow KO's 🌪️

Here is her knocking out Luana Carolinapic.twitter.com/ouOuaQhWe8
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) March 18, 2025

The resilient Liverpudlian bounced back in spectacular fashion, defeating Ji Yeon Kim in a Fight of the Night performance before delivering two of her most memorable moments; a spinning back elbow knockout of Luana Carolina and a first-round TKO of Hannah Goldy, both earning Performance of the Night bonuses.

After suffering submission losses to Erin Blanchfield and Julija Stoliarenko, McCann made the decision to drop to strawweight, where she got back to winning ways with an armbar submission over Diana Belbița in their February 2024 rematch. Her most recent outing ended in disappointment, losing a unanimous decision to Bruna Brasil at UFC 304 in July, making this upcoming fight crucial for her career trajectory.

Molly McCann MMA Record

21 Fights	Wins	Loss
By KO/TKO	6	0
By Submission	1	3
By Decision	7	4

Alexia Thainara’s MMA Journey

Alexia ‘Burguesinha’ Thainara brings an impressive 11-1 record to her UFC debut. The 29-year-old Brazilian has been steadily building her reputation in the South American regional scene since 2018. Her professional journey began with a first-round armbar submission of Beatriz Ferreira before suffering her only career loss to Bruna Brasil via guillotine choke in 2019.

Since that setback, Thainara has been perfect, rattling off nine consecutive victories. Her resume showcases her submission prowess with six of her eleven wins coming by submission, including four rear-naked chokes and two armbars. Thainara caught the eye of UFC CEO Dana White last September on the Contender Series, where she defeated Rose Conceicao by unanimous decision to earn her UFC contract.

Alexia Thainara, WELCOME TO THE UFC! #DWCS

📸: @AlexBehunin pic.twitter.com/E6fic8dqZr
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) September 25, 2024

Working out of Ribas Family gym, Thainara has developed a well-rounded skill set but clearly prefers finishing fights on the ground. Her UFC debut comes on short notice, stepping in to replace Istela Nunes against a much more experienced UFC veteran in McCann. Despite the challenging circumstances, this represents a massive opportunity for the Brazilian to make an immediate impact in the strawweight division.

Alexia Thainara MMA Record

12 Fights	Wins	Loss
By KO/TKO	1	0
By Submission	6	1
By Decision	5	0

Molly McCann vs. Alexia Thainara: Tale of the Tape

Tale Of The Tape	Molly McCann	Alexia Thainara
Record	14-7	11-1
Height	5’4”	5’4”
Weight	115lbs	115lbs
Reach	62”	67”
Stance	Orthodox	Orthodox
D.O.B	May 04, 1990	Nov 20, 1995

Molly McCann’s UFC experience gives her an edge in handling the bright lights. She will look to use this to her advantage to get back in the win column. However, Alexia Thainara’s submission threat makes her a dangerous opponent even for the more established McCann. A win over an established opponent will send notice to the entire division!

(Image Credit: Per Haljestam – Imagn Images)

Alexia Thainara

Molly McCann

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!