Female MMA fighter admits she 'risks death' in the cage toprovide a better life for her family

A female mixed martial arts fighter has revealed she 'risks death' in the cage in her quest to succeed in the sport and provide a better life for her family.

'Meatball' Molly McCann, 29, from Liverpool, is a poster girl for MMA in the UK, competing as a flyweight in the top tier Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and appears in the new BBC Three documentary Inside the Cage: The Rise of Female Fighters. 

Having had a difficult upbringing, with her single mother suffering from alcoholism, Molly says watching her overcome her addiction inspired her to 'strive for greatness'.

She explains: 'My family, growing up, life was mental, it was a mad time, my mum had a lot going on, she's a struggling addict, single mum, so we didn't obviously have a lot and there was a lot of stress, but she changed her life around dramatically and she became sober and in that moment totally changed my life, her life and everyone's life around us.

'Meatball' Molly McCann, 29, from Liverpool, is a poster girl for MMA in the UK, competing as a flyweight in the top tier Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

'Watching her not sit in self-pity and watching someone strive for greatness, I am who I am because of her and because I've seen what she's done. I won't stop until I've got my mum a house. 

'If there's an opportunity that I can provide a life for me and my family that we never thought possible, you quite happily go in there and if you die, you die.'

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Mixed martial arts, also known as cage fighting, is a multi-billion dollar industry, and one of the fastest growing sports in the world. 

A full contact sport pitching two fighters against each other using various fighting techniques, it has already made stars out of some female fighters, with more and more British women entering the cage hoping it make it big. 

Having had a difficult upbringing, with her single mother suffering from alcoholism, Molly says watching her overcome her addiction inspired her to 'strive for greatness'

Annie meets Molly as she is weeks away from a crucial fight in America, which she must win to keep fighting at the top level

In the documentary personal trainer Annie Price meets three women including Molly and 18-year-old Shanelle Dyer, a young fighter from west London who has found focus from the sport as an escape from the knife crime and youth violence that plagues her neighbourhood.  

Annie meets Molly as she is weeks away from a crucial fight in America, which she must win to keep fighting at the top level. 

'I stoned some Brazilian's head with these on,' Molly remarks as she shows Annie around the training room and picks up a pair of gloves.

Mixed martial arts, also known as cage fighting, is a multi-billion dollar industry, and one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Pictured: presenter Annie

Her training is full time and full-on, with 12 sessions a week consisting of running, sparring, and strength and conditioning. 

Molly shows Annie a dangerous 'choke' move used in order to get your opponent to submit, but admits it takes a lot for her to tap out, despite the constriction on her breathing.

Molly won her last fight but suffered a fractured eye orbital which has still not healed. However, as she only gets paid when she fights, she's keen to do battle once more.

Molly's training is full time and full-on, with 12 sessions a week consisting of running, sparring, and strength and conditioning. Pictured kicking Ariane Lipski of Brazil in their women's flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on June 22

Discussing her injuries, Molly reveals she's suffered a broken metacarpal, a deviated septum, broken eye socket, had stitches in her eyelid and under her eye, broken toes and fingers, a bulging disc in her back and a torn rotator cuff - but according to her, that's 'not a lot'. 

She explains how her tough childhood inspired her to get into MMA in order to provide a better life for her and her family - and she's willing to put her life on the line to achieve it.

'When I was a kid I wasn't academic, and the way I transferred my skills the best way I could into a positive outcome would be competing in sport,' she says.

Discussing her injuries, Molly reveals she's suffered a broken metacarpal, a deviated septum, broken eye socket, had stitches in her eyelid and under her eye, broken toes and fingers, a bulging disc in her back and a torn rotator cuff - but according to her, that's 'not a lot'

'Where I felt I could express myself was on a football pitch with a ball, in a boxing ring, it weren't showing off, it were me expressing myself. 

'Until I started MMA I wasn't comfortable in my own skin, and when I found this I became comfortable in my own skin.' 

Fighters can only fight four times a year and are paid money to turn up and fight, as well as extra if they win. It's taken Molly six years to earn £10,000 a fight. 

Teenager Shanelle's dream is to turn from amateur to professional and become a UFC champion so she too can escape the current situation she's in

Prior to a fight, Molly has to cut all carbs out of her diet to adhere to the strict flyweight category rules, which means she has to weigh under 57kg.

One of Molly's trainers reveals there's a higher percentage of deaths in the sport from not eating, adding: 'The elite end of any sport is an unhealthy thing.' 

Meanwhile teenager Shanelle's dream is to turn from amateur to professional and become a UFC champion so she too can escape the current situation she's in. 

Having just finished college, Shanelle lives in west London with her parents and six siblings and is taking a gap year from education to focus on her MMA career, which is mainly funded by her parents.

Shanelle's dream is to turn from amateur to professional and become a UFC champion so she too can escape the current situation she's in

Speaking the night before her second ever fight, Shanelle says she's feeling 'very confident'.

'It's my first title fight for MMA, so if I get that first title then people will notice me and it will basically pave the way for me and my MMA career,' she says.

'My big dream is to be a UFC champion at the best fight in the world, the best I can be, and make my mum and dad and my family proud,' she adds.

Shanelle, who shares a bedroom with three of her siblings, has her fighting belts proudly hung around her room.

Asked what she'd be doing if she hadn't taken up fighting, Shanelle admits she'd probably be hanging out with her friends and 'not doing the correct stuff'.

Speaking to Annie the night before her second ever fight, Shanelle says she's feeling 'very confident'

She reveals that the 'scary' area she lives in has seen a spate of violent attacks, with two young men being murdered in the past few months.

'Someone got killed yesterday in the area, down the road - one of my best friends, his friend, he was 18,' Shanelle explains. 

'Another guy got killed in March that I knew from primary school, high school, he was stabbed. It happens a lot around this area, it's not a nice area to stay in or grow up in. I don't want to stay here for the rest of my life, I want to get out, get my parents out.' 

Annie also meets 19-year-old Corey McKenna, a straight A student who has been tipped for the UFC and used to spar with her mother as practice.

Inside the Cage: The Rise of Female Fighters will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Sunday 13 October. 

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