Until I found MMA, I had no safe space to be me, says ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann

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Meatball Molly McCann found a safe haven in MMA having struggled with her sexual identity growing in a society and around a religion that wouldn't have accepted her coming out as gay.

Now 31, Molly came out at the age of 25 and has hailed the impact of the UFC on championing LGBTQ+ causes while admitting that sections of society is still not accepting of same sex relationships.

Meatball returned to the UFC octagon last month to secure a stunning back-spinning elbow victory days after her tell-all documentary regarding her life and career was released on BT Sport to acclaim from MMA fans.

Molly spoke openly to Daily Star Sport ahead of that recent blockbuster victory at The O2, and was asked about whether MMA and society as a whole is more accepting of being gay.

She said: "The promotion that I work for has championed equality down the line from females fighting the same amount of minutes and the same amount of rounds as men to females getting paid the same as males.

"They celebrate a man or a woman anyone who's gay. Obviously no male has come out yet in combat sport, but we're championed. Gay pride month they make everyone's name's rainbow and they put so much money to LGBTQ+ charities.

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"Look I'm 31 now, I came out when I was 25 and imagine what it was like when I was 10. It's still hard now for people to come out, back then it was just…

"I'm a lucky generation as well if you go back to the generation before me and before that in the 1960s and the Stonewall riots. It was illegal to be gay.

"So when I was growing up I didn't even think about being gay, I wouldn't even entertain the fact because society wouldn't let you.

"Religion wouldn't let you, my religion would not let me. So until I found MMA and I had a safe space to be me… I'm Meatball now, I weren't comfortable before that.

"I think it does say in the documentary, sometimes even now I'm walking down the street holding my girlfriend's hand and you think that's an easy task to do.

"But you've got people looking at you like you're a piece of s*** sometimes.

"This is not fair, but I don't moan about it I just get on with it."

As well as being a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community in combat sports, McCann is an author having released paperback book BE TRUE TO YOU: A story about coming out last year.

Having earned a new four-fight contract and backing that up by knocking out Luana Carolina, Meatball is going nowhere soon – and has pledged to continue fighting for the causes that mean the most to her.

BT Sport Film Meatball Molly is available to watch via the BT Sport website and App.

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