Liverpool’s own Molly McCann‘s current UFC run hasn’t quite turned out the way she’d hoped for. Unlike her undefeated best friend and fellow Liverpudlian Paddy Pimblett, ‘Meatball’s record in Dana White‘s promotion has been a mixed bag. Well, she might just be in luck because McCann’s got an opportunity to turn things around for herself against a debutant at UFC Fight Night 255 at the O2 arena in London.

Initially, Brazilian fighter Istella Nunes was scheduled for the strawweight clash against Molly McCann, who’s also in a tough predicament when it comes to her UFC career. However, the chances slipped out of Nunes’ hand due to visa issues. With one Brazilian ushered out of the Fight Night, in came another. Dana White’s Contender Series signee Alexia Thainara will be debuting in London this weekend. But how do their stats match? Well, let’s find out.

UFC London: Molly McCann vs. Alexia Thainara stats

There is simply no arguing that Molly McCann has a wealth of experience with a 14-7 record, with a 7-6 record in the UFC. Meanwhile, Alexia Thainara, going by the nickname ‘Burguesinha’, isn’t too far behind the British fighter, as she sports an impressive 11-1 record. But it’s important to note that most of the Brazilian fighter’s bouts took place in regional promotions, especially in her native Brazil.

Meanwhile, McCann also had one loss on her record before she made it to the UFC, so there’s a bit of similarity between the two fighters. When it comes to their wins, Alexia Thainara appears to have found great success on the ground, registering a career total of 6 submissions so far, compared to McCann’s 1. Coincidentally, the numbers are in favor of ‘Meatball’ in terms of knockouts as she’s recorded 6 wins by putting people to sleep, but Thainara has only been able to register 1 knockout win so far.

When we take a look at their physical stature, they’re on the same boat as well, as both women stand 5 feet 4 inches tall. However, Alexia Thainara has an advantage in the reach department, which is five inches more than Molly McCann, with 67 inches. But to get a better understanding of how the fight can pan out, let’s analyze their respective styles and approaches while arriving at a prediction.

McCann vs. Thainara breakdown and prediction

Molly McCann’s KO record might give us the impression that striking could weigh heavily on Alexia Thainara, but there’s a catch. Although the Liverpudlian averages over five significant strikes per minute, ‘Meatball’ struggles with her accuracy, which is under fifty percent. On the other hand, the Brazilian may not trade as many strikes as her English counterpart, but she’s able to defend them better. Moreover, McCann may have to excel in her striking game given that she doesn’t have any reach advantage at all.

Similarly, Molly McCann is also vulnerable on the ground, given that she struggles to defend against takedowns, which is the opposite of Alexia Thainara. So, maybe she’s making her debut this weekend, but she’s got all the tools to edge past McCann if the latter cannot make use of her experience to her benefit. In fact, oddsmakers have picked ‘Burguesinha’ as the-190 favorite, while ‘Meatball’ will head into UFC London as the -150 underdog.

We will get all the answers in London this weekend, but in the meantime, give us your thoughts on this strawweight clash in the comments down below.