Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: Molly McCann vs. Julija Stoliarenko
Preview
English flyweight sensation Molly “The Meatball” McCann is looking to get back on winning ways by taking on Lithuanian Julija Stoliarenko in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 224.
McCann (6-4 in UFC) had won three in a row, including the first two of her UFC career by TKO and KO, before getting stopped UFC 281 when Erin Blanchfield secured a first round kimura submission victory.
During her win streak, McCann was honored with bonuses in each of her fights. She earned Performance of the Night in two of the fights and Fight of the Night honors in the other.
McCann’s fight against Blanchfield, who is ranked #3 in the UFC’s Women’s Flyweight division, was definitely one matchmakers made to see what McCann had against one of the best female fighters in the entire UFC. Losing was definitely a step back for McCann, but hopefully it is used as a teachable moment in her career.
Stoliarenko (1-5 in UFC) is the former Invicta FC Bantamweight Champion and came to the UFC from Invicta FC on a five fight win streak. Since entering the UFC in 2020, she has lost four out of her five fights and, despite earning the Performance of the Night bonus in her only win, she is in a must win situation here against McCann.
Stoliarenko, who lost the finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 28, has never knocked out an opponent.
Tale of the Tape
| Fighter | Molly McCann | Julija Stoliarenko |
| Age | 33 | 30 |
| Height | 5-4 | 5-7 |
| Weight | 126 | 125 |
| Reach | 62″ | 66″ |
| UFC Win/Loss | 6-4 | 1-5 |
| MMA Win/Loss | 13-5 | 10-8-2 |
Julija Stoliarenko has a significant advantage in height and reach, but records speak for themselves in the UFC and Molly McCann has been able to get it done against fighters that have had advantages in the past.
Shared Opponents
Molly McCann and Julija Stoliarenko have no opponents in common.
Advanced Stats
Advanced stats, courtesy of UFCStats.com, show significant advantages for McCann.
Striking:
McCann lands more than twice the amount of significant strikes per minute (5.72 to 2.75) with her strike accuracy (50%) 9 points better than Stoliarenko (41%).
Defense:
McCann and Stoliarenko trade off on defensive statistics. McCann is bests Stoliarenko at significant strike defense (63% to 44%) but Stoliarenko bests McCann at takedown defense at almost an identical number (62% to 44%)
Takedowns:
Neither McCann nor Stoliarenko are much of a threat for takedowns. McCann slightly edges out Stoliarenko by securing 1.67 takedowns per 15 minutes at a 35% accuracy rate compared to Stoliarenko’s .7 takedowns per 15 minutes with a 25% success rate.
Submissions:
Molly McCann rarely attempts submissions (.5 per 15 minutes) while Stoliarenko is good for only about one attempt a fight (1.2 per 15 minutes).
Prediction
As of July 14, the odds for this match are McCann (-225) and Stoliarenko (+190).
Molly McCann should rebound here against a weaker opponent in Julija Stoliarenko. McCann’s drive to stay relevant in the UFC’s Women’s Flyweight division is stronger than Stoliarenko will to stay in the UFC at all. Stoliarenko has struggled in all but one of her UFC fights and this one should be no different.
The manner of victory for McCann is up in the air.
Stoliarenko’s reach might give McCann some trouble securing a KO, but if past performances in London dictate the type of victory, McCann has finished her last two opponents there and was fueled by incredible crowd reaction.
I feel like this one either is over in the first round or goes the distance. For the sake of taking a chance, let’s say Molly gets it done in one.
Molly McCann defeats Julija Stoliarenko by TKO in the 1st Round
