Molly McCann just silenced her critics. Big time.
She dropped to the UFC’s strawweight division and showed Diana Belbita the door with a slick armbar. This all went down in the first round at UFC Fight Night 235’s prelims in Las Vegas. Belbita’s arm? Yeah, it went a way it definitely shouldn’t have. Ouch.
McCann, with a record now boasting 14 wins and 6 losses, wasn’t messing around. Their last dance in 2019? McCann won, but this time? She was on fire. Right hands, spinning kicks, you name it. She even threw in her signature spinning back elbow. Then, boom, a takedown, some elbows, and bam, that armbar finish.
Switching gears, Charles Johnson pulled off a stunner. He was up against Azat Maksum, a guy who hadn’t tasted defeat. Until now. Johnson, stepping in last minute, turned the tables with a unanimous decision win. All judges were nodding in agreement, scoring it 29-28.
Maksum had Johnson in a tight spot early on with a solid right and some scary choke attempts. But Johnson? He shook it off, came back stronger, and by the third round, he was the one calling the shots.
Then there’s Themba Gorimbo. Guy barely broke a sweat knocking out Pete Rodriguez. Just 32 seconds in, and Rodriguez was done. Gorimbo’s right hand was all it took. A quick move to top position, and the ref had seen enough. For Gorimbo, it was a lightning-fast victory.
Jeong Yeong Lee also made some noise. He dominated Blake Bilder in a featherweight clash, taking home a unanimous decision win. The judges were all in agreement, handing Lee a clean 30-27 across the board. Bilder just couldn’t find his rhythm against Lee’s onslaught.
Luana Carolina had her moment too, finishing Julija Stoliarenko with punches in round three. Despite missing weight and losing part of her purse, Carolina was relentless. She managed to escape a tight choke, found her feet, and then it was all over for Stoliarenko.
And let’s not forget Marquel Mederos and Jamal Pogues. Both guys made their mark with unanimous decision wins in their respective bouts. Mederos outmaneuvered Landon Quinones, while Pogues showcased his skills against Thomas Petersen.
What a night of fights, huh? Each one telling its own tale of triumph, strategy, and sometimes, sheer willpower.