Sara McMann (born September 24, 1980) is an American female mixed martial artist currently signed to Bellator MMA, competing in the Women's Featherweight division. McMann is a former Olympic wrestler and received a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and was a World Silver Medalist and 2-time Bronze Medalist. She would then transition to MMA, most notably competing in the bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
As of December 8, 2023, she is #10 in the Bellator Women's pound-for-pound Rankings and #3 in the Bellator Women's Featherweight Rankings.[5]
McMann started wrestling at the age of 14 at McDowell High School in Marion, North Carolina. She is the first American woman in history to receive a silver medal in Olympic wrestling, which she won at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.[6] McMann won a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships in women's freestyle 63 kg or 138.75 lb weight class.[7][8][9][10]
In 2022, McMann was inducted to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.[11]
McMann announced in late 2010 that she had signed a three-fight contract with Strikeforce. She planned to fight at 135 pounds.[12] However, she did not sign on with the promotion due to an extension clause in the contract.[13]
McMann was first scheduled to make her professional mixed martial arts debut on November 14, 2010 in Jamaica, but the event was cancelled due to safety problems with the cage.[14]
She then had more fights fall apart after opponents backed out, including a scheduled April 30, 2011 fight against Mariah Johnson.[15]
On May 28, 2011, McMann made her pro MMA debut at Universal Cage Combat: Revolution. She defeated Christina Marks by submission in the first round.[16]
McMann faced fellow Olympian Julie Malenfant at Blackeye Promotions 4 on June 17, 2011. McMann defeated Malenfant by TKO early in the first round.[17]
McMann faced Tonya Evinger at Titan Fighting Championships 19 on July 29, 2011.[18] The fight served as the co-main event.[19] McMann defeated Evinger by unanimous decision.[13]
After ProElite reincarnated under new management, McMann faced Raquel Pa'aluhi on the promotion's first event post-EliteXC at ProElite 1: Arlovski vs. Lopez on August 27, 2011.[13] She defeated Pa'aluhi by submission due to an americana in the third round.[20]
McMann returned to ProElite to face Hitomi Akano at ProElite 3 on January 21, 2012.[21] She defeated Akano by unanimous decision.[22]
On April 28, it was announced that McMann would face Shayna Baszler in the main event of Invicta Fighting Championships 2. The event took place on July 28, 2012.[23] McMann defeated Baszler via unanimous decision and the bout was named fight of the night. The bout was a title eliminator, with the winner scheduled to face the winner of Alexis Davis vs. Hitomi Akano.[24][25]
On September 4, 2012, it was announced McMann had signed with Strikeforce.[26] She was expected to debut at Strikeforce: Cormier vs. Mir against former bantamweight title challenger Liz Carmouche,[27] but the event was cancelled.[28]
In February 2013, McMann officially joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[29] It was rumored she turned down a fight with then-title holder Ronda Rousey. However, this was false information and no such fight was offered or even presented to McMann at the time.[30] She became the third female to earn a victory in the UFC by defeating Sheila Gaff at UFC 159.[31]
McMann was slated to face former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman on August 28, 2013 at UFC Fight Night 27.[32] However, McMann withdrew from the bout for, at the time, undisclosed personal reasons.[33] In January 2015, she disclosed that the reason for withdrawing was due to her father battling aggressive lymphoma.[34]
McMann faced Ronda Rousey for the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship at UFC 170. She lost the fight by TKO after getting knocked down with a knee to the body. This stoppage created controversy, with many sports writers and attendants finding it premature.[35][36]
McMann faced promotional newcomer Lauren Murphy at UFC Fight Night 47 on August 16, 2014.[37] McMann won the fight by split decision.[38]
McMann faced Miesha Tate at UFC 183 on January 31, 2015.[39] Despite a strong first round, she lost by majority decision.
McMann faced Amanda Nunes on August 8, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 73. She lost the fight via submission in the first round.[40]
McMann faced Jessica Eye at UFC Fight Night 88 on May 29, 2016.[41] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[42]
McMann faced Alexis Davis on December 3, 2016 at The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions. McMann won via submission in the second round.[43]
McMann was expected to face Liz Carmouche at UFC Fight Night 105, on February 19, 2017. However, Carmouche was forced to pull out of the fight due to injury and will be replaced by newcomer Gina Mazany.[44] McMann won the fight via submission early in the first round.
McMann was originally expected to face Ketlen Vieira at UFC 214 on July 29, 2017.[45] However, the fight was moved to UFC 215.[46] She lost the bout via arm-triangle choke submission in the second round.[47]
McMann faced Marion Reneau on February 24, 2018 at UFC on Fox 28.[48] After dominating the first round, McMann was knocked down and submitted by Reneau in the second round.[49]
After a year hiatus due to maternity leave, McMann was scheduled to face Nicco Montaño on July 13, 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 13.[50] However, McMann pulled out of the bout citing an injury in mid-June and was replaced by Julianna Peña.[51]
McMann faced Lina Länsberg on January 25, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 166.[52] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[53]
McMann was scheduled to face Aspen Ladd on June 27, 2020 at UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker.[54] However, Ladd suffered a training injury, torn both her ACL and MCL and was forced to withdraw from the event.[55]
McMann was expected to face Julianna Peña on January 16, 2021 at UFC on ABC 1[56] before being pushed back a week later to UFC 257 on January 24, 2021.[57][58] McMann lost the fight via submission in round three.[59]
McMann was scheduled to face Ketlen Vieira on August 28, 2021 at UFC on ESPN 30.[60] However, McMann announced in mid August that a "reinjury" forced her out of the bout.[61]
McMann faced Karol Rosa on March 26, 2022 at UFC on ESPN 33.[62] She won the fight by unanimous decision.[63]
McMann was scheduled to face Aspen Ladd on August 13, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 41.[64] However, Ladd was tested positive for COVID-19 and she was forced to withdraw from the event,[65] and they were rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 210 on September 17.[66] At the weigh-ins, Ladd weighed in at 138 pounds, two pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. As a result the bout was scrapped.[67]
The cancelled bout against Ladd was counted as her last bout of her contract and she was paid her show money, with McMann now being a free agent and exploring potential possibilities.[68]
On December 27, 2022, it was announced that McMann had signed with the Bellator MMA.[69]
McMann made her promotional debut against Arlene Blencowe on April 21, 2023 at Bellator 294.[70] She won the bout via unanimous decision.[71]
McMann faced Leah McCourt on October 7, 2023 at Bellator 300.[72] She lost the fight via ground and pound TKO in the first round.[73]
McMann's parents are Paula Jean and Thomas William McMann. She has one sister, Nickolina, and had one brother, Jason. Jason, who wrestled at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, was murdered January 23, 1999 at the age of 21.[74][75]
McMann attended McDowell High School in Marion, North Carolina where she was coached by Timothy Hutchins. In addition to wrestling, she participated in theatre productions. She earned a degree in Theatre at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the school's wrestling team under the coaching of Carl Poff from 1999 to 2003. She previously attended University of Minnesota Morris from 1998 to 1999, where she was coached by Doug Reese.
In August 2010, McMann was awarded an MA/EDS with a major in mental health counseling from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.[76][77]
McMann does volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity, a Christian housing ministry. She traveled to Sri Lanka with Olympic teammates to help victims of the tsunami rebuild homes for those displaced by the tidal wave. She also helps with youth clubs and speaks to upcoming girls and boys about wrestling.
On September 3, 2004, while driving her Jeep in Colorado on the way to Iowa with her fiance, former ASU three-time NCAA All-American wrestler Steven Blackford as her passenger, the vehicle ran off the road and rolled over. He was ejected from the vehicle, and died at the scene. McMann was hospitalized with a broken arm and minor injuries, and later charged with careless driving.[78]
McMann and her former training partner Trent Goodale have a daughter, Bella, who was born in 2009.[79]
On May 30, 2018, McMann announced on social media that she and her partner Chad Bingham were expecting a child, and that she had put her career in mixed martial arts on hold.[80] In December 2018, she announced that she had given birth to her son, Lucas.[81]
| 21 matches | 14 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| By submission | 5 | 4 |
| By decision | 8 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 14–7 | Leah McCourt | TKO (punches) | Bellator 300 | October 7, 2023 | 1 | 4:30 | San Diego, California, United States | |
| Win | 14–6 | Arlene Blencowe | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 294 | April 21, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Featherweight debut. |
| Win | 13–6 | Karol Rosa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Daukaus | March 26, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Columbus, Ohio, United States | |
| Loss | 12–6 | Julianna Peña | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 257 | January 24, 2021 | 3 | 3:39 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 12–5 | Lina Länsberg | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. dos Santos | January 25, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States | |
| Loss | 11–5 | Marion Reneau | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC on Fox: Emmett vs. Stephens | February 24, 2018 | 2 | 3:40 | Orlando, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 11–4 | Ketlen Vieira | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC 215 | September 9, 2017 | 2 | 4:16 | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | |
| Win | 11–3 | Gina Mazany | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Browne | February 19, 2017 | 1 | 1:14 | Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada | Catchweight (139.5 lb) bout; Mazany missed weight. |
| Win | 10–3 | Alexis Davis | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale | December 3, 2016 | 2 | 2:52 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 9–3 | Jessica Eye | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Almeida vs. Garbrandt | May 29, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 8–3 | Amanda Nunes | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux | August 8, 2015 | 1 | 2:53 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | |
| Loss | 8–2 | Miesha Tate | Decision (majority) | UFC 183 | January 31, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Lauren Murphy | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Bader vs. St. Preux | August 16, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Bangor, Maine, United States | |
| Loss | 7–1 | Ronda Rousey | TKO (knee to the body) | UFC 170 | February 22, 2014 | 1 | 1:06 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Sheila Gaff | TKO (punches) | UFC 159 | April 27, 2013 | 1 | 4:06 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 6–0 | Shayna Baszler | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann | July 28, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Invicta FC Bantamweight title eliminator. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 5–0 | Hitomi Akano | Decision (unanimous) | ProElite 3: Da Spyder vs. Minowaman | January 21, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Raquel Pa'aluhi | Submission (americana) | ProElite 1: Arlovski vs. Lopez | August 27, 2011 | 3 | 2:53 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Tonya Evinger | Decision (unanimous) | Titan Fighting Championships 19 | July 29, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | Catchweight (140 lb) bout. |
| Win | 2–0 | Julie Malenfant | Submission (punches) | BlackEye Promotions 4 | June 17, 2011 | 1 | 0:32 | Fletcher, North Carolina, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Christina Marks | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Universal Cage Combat: Revolution | May 28, 2011 | 1 | 1:41 | Lawrenceburg, Indiana, United States |
| No | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 170 | Rousey vs. McMann | February 22, 2014 | Mandalay Bay Events Center | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | 340,000[84] |
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