UFC gave Molly McCann a performance-related bonus worth $50,000 after she finished Diana Belbita in brutal fashion.
It all went down Saturday at an event Heavy attended inside the Apex in Las Vegas.
The armbar McCann applied was so nasty that Heavy heard Belbita’s screams on press row Octagonside.
What made the submission even more exceptional was that Belbita’s tap arrived one second before the end of the round.
McCann Was Dominant
McCann started the fight hard, and she started the fight fast as she unloaded on Belbita with numerous punches.
Belbita, by contrast, boxed cautiously and appeared to simply wait for counter-punching opportunities.
Midway through the round, McCann scored a double leg takedown which Belbita stood back up from.
Had Belbita stayed on the ground then she may have found more success because McCann scored well during the stand-up exchanges.
A spinning elbow, for instance, certainly dazed Belbita.
Later, McCann took Belbita back to the ground, took full mount, and thumped her with elbows.
The clacker to signify a mere 10 seconds left in the round seemed long gone but McCann found the armbar, cranked it, and it was so nasty Belbita’s arm popped.
It was all over.
Watch the buzzer-beater right here:
IN THE FINAL SECONDS OF ROUND ONE!
Molly McCann wins in her strawweight debut 💪 #UFCVegas85
McCann Adjusts Well To New Division
McCann’s return to the cage was at her new division — strawweight — after spending much of her career at flyweight.
“The plan was to be a world champion at 125-pounds, but [now we] work and change the goal and change the plan,” McCann said in the Octagon, after her win.
Victory advanced her pro MMA career to 14 wins (six KOs, one submission, and seven decisions) against six losses.
It also brought an end to a two-fight losing skid, having been finished via kimura in her fight with Erin Blanchfield in 2022 and then via armbar in her fight to Julija Stoliarenko in 2023.
“I’ll take every day as it comes, spend time with my family, have a Guinness … I’ll see you soon.”
McCann Wasn’t The Only Star To Get a Bonus
McCann was one of many UFC fighters to receive a cash bonus.
Azat Maksum and Charles Johnson each received $50,000 for producing the Fight of the Night in their three-round flyweight battle earlier on the preliminary section of the show.
They put it all on the line tonight 👊
Azat Maksum & @InnerGmma earned tonight’s FOTN 💰
[ B2YB @ToyoTires ]
The only other athlete to earn a Performance of the Night bonus other than McCann was Randy Brown, who overcame Muslim Salikhov with a first-round knockout on the main card.
Two hard fought battles ⚔️
Two well deserved bonuses 💰
Dana White’s other combat sports venture, Power Slap, returns to the screen Friday, February 9 with a headline match involving KO Chris and Muniz, live from the Durange Casino and Resort in Las Vegas.
The UFC, meanwhile, continues with another Fight Night event the next day, Saturday, February 10, and features a middleweight main event between Jack Hermansson and Joe Pyfer.
Dan Ige fights Andre Fili, Robert Bryczek and Albert Duraev also compete against one another, and Brad Tavares clashes with Gregory Rodrigues.
Michael Johnson fights Darrius Flowers and Rodolfo Vieira collides with Armen Petrosyan to complete the main card on ESPN+.
Comments
UFC Gave Molly McCann a Bonus After Her Brutal Armbar Made Her Opponent Scream [WATCH]