When Molly “Meatball” McCann walks out at the M&S Bank Arena on Saturday night, the roof is going to lift off. The former UFC fan favourite — Liverpool’s most beloved combat sports export — brings her professional boxing career home for the first time, facing Welsh super bantamweight Ashleigh “Sweet Poison” Johnson in an 8-round contest live on DAZN. Three fights in, undefeated, and now back in front of her own people: April 18 is the night Meatball Molly announces herself to a British boxing audience on the biggest stage she’s had yet.
| Date | Saturday, 18 April 2026 |
| Venue | M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool |
| Division | Super Bantamweight (122 lb) |
| Scheduled Rounds | 8 |
| Promoter | Matchroom Boxing |
| Broadcast | DAZN (UK & US) |
If you’ve followed combat sports at all in the last five years, you know Molly McCann. The 35-year-old Liverpudlian became a cult figure during her UFC career — fighting with relentless heart, wearing her emotions in every round, and building one of the most devoted fanbases in British martial arts. She signed with Matchroom Boxing and made her professional debut in 2025, and the transition has been smoother than many expected.
Three fights, three wins. Most recently, McCann outpointed Beata Dudek over six rounds at Nottingham Arena in February — a comfortable 60-55 scoreline that showed composure and ring control as well as the aggression her MMA fans already knew she possessed. She’s 35, which makes her older than most fighters at this stage of a professional boxing career, but it also means she has been competing at elite level for over a decade. The mental fortitude is not in question.
The boxing mechanics are the ongoing story. Her MMA background gives her tenacity, timing, and a durability born from fighting in the cage. What eight-round fights against improving opposition will test is the technical side: head movement, punch combinations, the willingness to box at range when the moment calls for it. The home crowd will help enormously — but it’s the performance that matters.
| Record | 3-0 |
| Age | 35 |
| Nationality | English (Liverpool) |
| Height | 5’4” / 163 cm |
| Reach | 62” / 157 cm |
| Background | Ex-UFC fighter, Matchroom Boxing debut 2025 |
Ashleigh Johnson (3-3) from Swansea is the opponent and, at 28, has seven years on McCann in terms of age. Her 3-3 record is balanced — she’s won three and lost three — and the losses suggest she’s been matched against opponents who have tested her rather than been handpicked to protect her. She comes in knowing exactly what this fight is about for her: an upset on a major national platform would be the best result of her career.
| Record | 3-3 |
| Age | 28 |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Nickname | Sweet Poison |
| McCann | Johnson | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 35 | 28 |
| Record | 3-0 | 3-3 |
| Height | 5’4” / 163cm | — |
| Reach | 62” / 157cm | — |
| Nickname | Meatball | Sweet Poison |
McCann’s MMA background means she’s a naturally aggressive forward-pressure fighter who works best when she’s dictating the pace. In her first three boxing fights she’s shown enough technical development to win clearly while doing it the right way — not just brawling, but constructing rounds. Eight rounds against a 3-3 opponent represents a step up in duration and complexity compared to her recent six-round outings.
Johnson’s experience as a professional — she’s been active since 2023 and has tested herself against opponents who have beaten her — means she won’t be overawed. The crowd will be entirely against her, the occasion is the biggest of her career, and the pressure of being the opponent on a DAZN card will be on her shoulders. But an upset wouldn’t come from nowhere: a composed, disciplined performance that avoids McCann’s aggression and boxes at distance over 8 rounds could make a result.
The question is whether that kind of boxing is in Johnson’s repertoire and character. McCann’s intensity is hard to manage over distance.
Molly McCann wins if:
Ashleigh Johnson wins if:
This is Molly McCann’s homecoming, and she knows exactly what it means. With 3-0 building confidence in her boxing abilities and an M&S Bank Arena crowd behind her, she has all the conditions to produce her best professional performance yet. Johnson is a respectable opponent but McCann’s pressure, heart, and hunger to impress on her Liverpool debut should see her to a clear points win — with a stoppage well within reach if McCann finds her rhythm in the later rounds.
Prediction: Molly McCann UD or TKO, Rounds 6-8
| Country | Broadcaster | Approx. Ringwalk |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | DAZN | 7:00 PM BST |
| United States | DAZN | 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT |
The card opens at 7:00 PM BST / 2:00 PM ET.
Also on the card: Whittaker vs Suarez main event preview → | Peter McGrail vs Mansilla preview → | Joe McGrail vs Hayden Central Area title preview →
When is Molly McCann vs Ashleigh Johnson? Saturday, 18 April 2026, at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool. Ringwalk expected around 7:00 PM BST / 2:00 PM ET.
Is this Molly McCann’s first boxing fight? No — it’s her fourth professional boxing bout. She made her debut in 2025 after signing with Matchroom Boxing, going 3-0 with three wins before this Liverpool homecoming.
What is Molly McCann’s boxing record? McCann enters with a 3-0 professional boxing record. Her most recent win was a 60-55 points victory over Beata Dudek in February 2026.
What division is McCann vs Johnson? Super Bantamweight (122 lb), scheduled for 8 rounds.
Where can I watch Molly McCann fight? Live on DAZN in both the UK and US as part of the Whittaker vs Suarez Liverpool card.
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