Back with dominant UFC Raleigh win, Sara McMann wants another push toward contention

RALEIGH, N.C. – Sara McMann beat Lina Lansberg with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 24 in Raleigh, N.C.

Take a look inside the fight with McMann, who returned after nearly a two-year layoff.

Result: Sara McMann def. Lina Lansberg via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
Updated records: Lina Lansberg (10-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) vs. Sara McMann (11-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC)
Key stat: McMann landed three takedowns and won the significant striking battle 38-1.

McMann on the fight’s key moment

“I’m working on my composure and setting things up, but she hit a good liver shot at one point and I knew I didn’t want any more of that. She’s a muay Thai fighter. She’s good, and she’s fast, so I didn’t want to deal with that.”

McMann on the long layoff

“I wondered if I would feel a little bit more tired out there than I did. It doesn’t matter how hard you train. When you are out there and the adrenaline is going with the importance and urgency of it all, you end up more fatigued than you would be in practice. I’ve been training really well, very hard, and I’ve been focusing on my recovery a lot. I did a lot of running and swimming for this, which is great conditioning for my legs, especially.”

McMann on what she wants next

“I want to savor tonight, but I know how the UFC works. They don’t want to give me an easy fight, and I’m on the same page as them. I’d like a top-five opponent. Bring them on and I’ll knock them down.”

To hear more from McMann, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.