Despite what many fans feared after her defeat at UFC Fight Night 184, Molly McCann is far from done in the UFC.

McCann (10-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) found herself on the losing end of a unanimous decision verdict as she fell to defeat against Brazil’s Laura Procopio in their preliminary card bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. As the fighters prepared for the verdict, McCann was seen on camera taking off her gloves and laying them in the center of the octagon – a traditional symbol of a fighter announcing their retirement from the sport.

McCann’s glove gesture prompted plenty of activity on social media as fans and media reacted with concern to the all-action English fighter’s apparent decision. But those concerns were replaced by messages of support when McCann later clarified that she hadn’t retired, and revealed that the gesture was a tribute to her late father on his birthday.

“Before I get into it. I left the gloves in the cage for my dad. There’s still fight in this old dog yet.”

Before I get into it. I left the gloves in the cage for my dad. There’s still fight in this old dog yet. @dc_mma @DominickCruz

— Molly McCann (@MeatballMolly) February 7, 2021

McCann received messages of support on Instagram from fellow fighters Scott Askham, Kay Hansen, Kiefer Crosbie, and former Strikeforce champion Josh Thomson, as well as her beloved Everton Football Club, who told her, “Hard luck tonight, Molly. You make a lot of scousers, Blues and plenty more people proud every time you do what you do – and we’re sure Paul is, too. We’re always in your corner.”

McCann later returned to Instagram to share a pic of her with her father, with the poignant message, saying, “Happy birthday Pops! I’ll get ‘Em next time.”

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A post shared by Molly McCann-Pearson (@meatballmolly)