Molly McCann took inspiration from Mike Tyson before knocking out Luana Carolina at UFC London

Molly McCann has revealed she took inspiration from Mike Tyson before knocking out Luana Carolina in the third round.

‘Meatball’ locked horns with the Brazilian on the main card of UFC Fight Night 204 at the O2 Arena in London last weekend.

And McCann made sure she left nothing to chance by putting Carolina to sleep with a vicious spinning back elbow in what was a knockout of the ages.

Carolina had to be taken to hospital after the fight, but thankfully she was given the all-clear by the doctors after being on the receiving end of a highlight-reel KO.

After winning, McCann was asked if she had worked on that move in training and she replied: “My coach Joe taught me when she throws a shot she goes back in a straight line with her chin up.

“I want to apologise to him because I should’ve kept it straight or I should’ve followed through with the left hook but it’s a fight and they’re 4oz gloves and she had a strong knee.

“I’m not sure if you’ve all seen the aura about myself or the self belief but Mike Tyson once said ‘Self belief will supersede the genius if applied correctly’.

“Me and my coach have ran through Mike Tyson analogies and quotes like all day and all yesterday.

“It’s just something as a fighter where I have to fight the bigger people all the f****** time I have to take that onboard with me.

“I’ve had to overcome a lot in here [points at her head] and I think that has f***** off now and I know who I am.”

McCann had taken the upper hand in the fight by pushing Carolina on the back foot in the first round.

And though she had to watch out for the occasional knee or two McCann continued to dominate the contest, landing nearly twice as many punches as Carolina.

But to her credit Carolina kept on firing back