Ex-UFC star inks surprise deal with Matchroom Boxing after MMA retirement

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 10:48 AM ET

(Zuffa LLC)

Just months after her last Octagon appearance and retirement from MMA, one former UFC star has officially decided to make the move to boxing.

The trend of top MMA fighters calling for high-profile boxing matches has died down somewhat in recent years, although fans did see Francis Ngannou follow in Conor McGregor’s footsteps when he donned boxing gloves to face Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua following his exit from the UFC.

Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm returned to the ring last weekend when she defeated Yolanda Vega on the undercard for Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr., but while that was Holm’s first boxing bout since 2013 “The Preacher’s Daughter” had already been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame thanks to her decorated career.

(Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Molly McCann Signs With Matchroom Boxing

Women’s MMA legend Cris Cyborg has also collected three boxing wins this year while fans wait for news of her next MMA bout with the PFL, and now in a surprise move former UFC contender Molly McCann is also set to test herself in the boxing ring.

Appearing with McCann ahead of this weekend’s Jack Catteral vs. Harlem Eubank card, Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn announced that “Meatball” will officiallymake her return to combat sports as a boxer.

HUGE NEWS @MeatballMolly signs with @MatchroomBoxing #CatterallEubank | July 5 | Live on DAZN pic.twitter.com/tB9teDsGv8
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 3, 2025

"Meatball" Established Herself As A Fan Favorite In The UFC

A former Women’s Flyweight Champion in Cage Warriors, McCann dropped her UFC debut to Gillian Robertson in 2018 but rebounded with three-straight wins the following year.

Back-to-back losses preceded what ended up being McCann’s most impressive run in the UFC, as “Meatball” put together another three-fight win streak that included back-to-back spinning elbow finishes against Luana Carolina and Hannah Goldy.