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Women’s Mixed Martial Arts Molly McCann looking for a knockout on Friday night

LIVERPOOL flyweight Molly McCann is convinced she will make a statement against Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debutant Diana Belbita in Boston tomorrow night.

McCann became the first Englishwoman to win in the UFC when she was awarded a unanimous decision over Priscila Cachoeira in London in March before outpointing Ariane Lipski in Greenville, South Carolina, in June.

Those two victories established McCann within the organisation but the 29-year-old is now craving a finish inside the distance and believes she will deliver that at the TD Garden against her Romanian opponent.

“I feel like this is the fight where I get to produce the big goods, the finish,” McCann said.

“I feel like getting my first win in March was a record in the books, the fight in America was a stamp of approval where even over the pond I can have a go.

“Now I can go in with no mindset of being nervous of a win or nervous of being put in a certain position and not getting through it. I’m very calm, I’m very ready and I’m raring to go.

“If I don’t end it inside the distance I’m going to be so disappointed in myself because of how hard I’ve trained and the roll that I’m on. I really just believe that the finish will present itself and I will take it.”

In beating Lipski for her ninth win in 11 professional mixed martial arts contests, McCann was back in action three months after having her orbital bone fractured following a shot from Cachoeira.

Having convalesced from the injury in a remarkable timeframe, McCann insists it is not an issue and neither is there likely to be a repeat.

“I got the all-clear two-and-a-half weeks later — I’ve got Wolverine powers or something on the go. It was a fluke, it was a madness shot, a freak-of-nature accident kind of thing,” she said.

“It’s healed well and I was informed by the surgeon there’s a million to one shot that will ever happen so I’m absolutely fine about it, the eye’s perfect.

“It’s just a little bit smaller, it looks like I’ve just got a lazy eye but apart from that it’s all good.”

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