Meatball Molly and Paddy the Baddy Steal the Show in London

“Meatball” Molly McCann and Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett are two of UFC’s rising stars. The friends, who both hail from Liverpool and fight out of the same gym, are taking the MMA scene by storm, and they stole the show once again at London’s O2 Arena.

McCann proclaimed, “Have you ever seen lightning strike twice? Well, now you have.” The thirty-two-year-old was referring to the spinning elbow she delivered on Hannah Goldy, which opened the door for her to secure the KO victory. Back in March at the O2, McCann had used the same move to defeat Luana Carolina.

But, not to be outdone by his close friend, Pimblett delivered a dose of de ja vu of his own as he locked Jordan Leavitt in a rear-naked choke to win by submission at the weekend. And, back in March, it was the rear-naked choke that he managed to put on Rodrigo Vargas that secured victory.

The UFC has grown over the years because of not only the talent it has available but the big personalities of the likes of Conor McGregor. And now, after both McCann and Pimblett have scored a hat trick of consecutive victories a piece, with performance bonuses collected each time, it’s they who are becoming the stars of the UFC.

After lighting up the O2 Arena twice in the space of a matter of months, twenty-seven-year-old Pimblett was quick to suggest it could be the last time the duo fight there.

“I know for a fact now I’ll be fighting on pay-per-views with Jon Anik, Joe Rogan and DC (Daniel Cormier) commentating.

“We won’t be fighting in the O2 again. It’s too small. But we will do Anfield, I promise you now.”

McCann is also thinking along the same lines as Pimblett, “I want to go everywhere. You take me to Boston. I’ll own it. Take me to Vegas. I’ll own it.

“We’re a package deal. You’ve seen it tonight. No disrespect to any fighter on this card, but who’s had the press? Who has given all of you soundbites?

McCann and Pimblett’s dramatic rise in the sport is something to be admired. But, if they’re to keep progressing, it must be done wisely. After her victory, Meatball called out Antonina Shevchenko, who’s the older sister of Valentina, the current UFC Flyweight Champion.

Pimblett didn’t call out anyone after defeating Leavitt and instead used his time to promote men speaking out if they’re struggling with their mental health after losing a close friend to suicide recently.

But, he did go along with the thoughts of fellow lightweight Michael Chandler, who believes that Paddy “The Baddy” is more than capable of going on to win a world title within the next five years. And, at the rate of knots, he’s currently progressing at, you could see the Liverpudlian achieving exactly that, sooner rather than later.