Molly McCann will make her strawweight debut in Las Vegas against Diana Belbita early next year.
The Liverpool-born fighter is set to drop down a weight division for the upcoming fight on February 3, 2024.
McCann lost her last two fights in the flyweight division and explained the reasons behind the switch.
The Scouser said: “(Being) the smallest in the division makes it tough when the opponents are so much bigger. So for me it is time to drop down and face the girls who are the same size.”
In her last two battles the 33-year-old was forced to submit in the first round of both fights.
Her upcoming brawl with Belbita will be the second time the pair have met, with the Liverpudlian getting the better of the Romanian in 2019 at flyweight level, winning on the judges’ scorecards.
A new chapter for Molly McCann 👊#UFC pic.twitter.com/MCza1TlhEz
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 6, 2023
It has been a tough year for McCann, who has failed to relive the highs she experienced in early 2022.
She was brutally submitted by Erin Blanchfield in UFC 281 in November last year, ending her winning run in ruthless fashion.
The Brit had previously gained headlines for two quickfire victories in the early months of 2022. This gave her a strong following and she quickly became a leading figure involved in sport around Merseyside.
She looked to bounce back from the defeat to Blanchard, who secured a Kimura to halt the fight with only three-and-a-half minutes on the clock.
It wasn’t to be yet again though, as she suffered a surprise defeat to Julija Stoliarenko in her home country. In her pay-per-view debut she was forced to tap out, leaving the London crowd in shock.
The bout will take place in the middle of an exciting card, consisting of men’s middleweight fight between Nassourdine Imavov and Roman Dolidze, with Julia Stoliarenko facing Luana Carolina in a clash of women’s flyweights.
