Preview: UFC London ‘Edwards vs. Brady’

Women's Strawweights

Molly McCann (14-7) vs. Alexia Thainara (11-1)
Odds: Thainara (-185), McCann (+154)

McCann has enough cred as a fan favorite to see her through some tough times promotionally, but "Meatball" could use a win here. It wouldn't be the first time McCann has had a surprising career revival: she rebounded well from a crushing loss in her UFC debut in her hometown of Liverpool, and she went on the best three-fight run of her career after two straight losses that seemed to establish her ceiling. That three-fight winning streak somehow included back-to-back wins via spinning elbow knockout, and buoyed by her association with fellow Scouser Paddy Pimblett, McCann started getting some prominent fights -- at which point she was bullied and tapped out by both Erin Blanchfield and Julija Stoliarenko. That spurred a cut down to strawweight last year, which was an interesting idea given that it could provide McCann with a bit more parity in terms of strength -- and it seemed to pay off with a one-sided win over Diana Belbita in her 115-pound debut. But McCann struggled in her next fight against Bruna Brasil, who herself has had some problems in terms of physicality, which suggests that even a strawweight McCann will continue to be forced to play scrappy underdog. McCann was initially matched up with Istela Nunes, a dangerous striker that McCann figured to outlast over time, but instead draws newcomer Thainara in what might be a tougher matchup.

Thainara might not have the most electric highlight reel, but she seems to have turned a corner into becoming a true prospect in her last handful of fights, including her win on the Contender Series last year; she's a confident athlete whose best skill is quickly becoming an aggressive and effective wrestling game. That was a bit easy to write off on the regional scene given the spotty level of wrestling that can exist there, but "Burguesinha" was able to out-wrestle a wrestler in her Contender Series win, which suggests that she's at least some level of legit. McCann's the toughest opponent in the aggregate that Thainara has faced to date, but assuming the UFC newcomer is anywhere near ready for the big time, this looks like the right type of matchup for an athletic wrestler to succeed; the pick is Thainara via decision.

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Edwards vs. Brady
Blachowicz vs. Ulberg
Nelson vs. Holland
McCann vs. Thainara
Vucenic vs. Duncan
Wood vs. Charriere
The Prelims