UFC 238 Fighter Profile: Jessica Eye - The Upturn

Mike Miguel
The brisk boxing style and sheer toughness of Jessica Eye, should cause concern for champion Shevchenko.

Upturn; "an improvement or upward trend, especially in economic conditions or someone's fortunes." The best way to describe Jessica 'Evil' Eye's recent turn of form in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. This weekend in Chicago, Illinois, Ohio native Jessica Eye challenges Valentina Shevchenko for the undisputed flyweight championship, in her first promotional title opportunity. A 2018 return to 125 pounds, has produced three consecutive victories, and a single year later, Eye has secured the division's number one contender rank. A considerable underdog ahead of her clash with Shevchenko, Eye similarly to Valentina, has experienced a resurgent period of dominance at the upper echelon of the division. Decision triumphs over Kalindra Faria, Jessica Rose-Clark and a title eliminator meeting with Katlyn Chookagian, snapped an end to a horrid four-fight slide for the Xtreme Couture trainee. It's been nine topsy-turvy, but always exciting years in professional mixed martial arts for Eye, below I analyze the 32-year-old's career.

Regional Excursions

Making a big impression during her breakthrough years on the regional scene, Jessica Eye honed her promising craft in North American Allied Fight Series. A birthplace debut inspired Eye to a first round finish, stopping Amanda LaVoy via slicing elbows. Another hometown visit in September for the regional promotion offered Jessica a second appearance for NAAFS, this time picking up a three round unanimous decision success over Marissa Caldwell.

Ring of Combat came calling in early 2011, offering Eye a stab at her premier professional title challenge. Within the opening round, in just her third walk, Eye had stopped Ashley Nee to claim the 130-pound gold. Despite they're similarly inexperienced career's to date, future UFC pair Eye and Ireland's Ashling Daly met, with the NAAFS flyweight championship up for spoils. A severe learning curve came for Eye, against the talented grappler Daly, with the Straight Blast Gym prospect submitting Eye via rear-naked choke, to a hostile Cleveland crowd.

The Octagon Awaits

Between juggling her commitments with both the then developing Bellator MMA and NAAFS, Eye established an eye-catching 10-1 professional biography. Notable victories over former UFC strawweight Angela Magana, the storied Carina Damm and a highlight, standing-arm triangle submission of kickboxing star and inaugural Bellator MMA flyweight champion Zoila Frausto Gurgel. The result, Eye had re

Fed To The Lions

Upon Jessica Eye's deserved call-up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2013, Eye was immediately paired with former Strikeforce bantamweight queen, Sarah Kaufmann, in undoubtedly her highest level clash. Despite the apparent skill set disadvantage, Eye claimed a close split decision victory over Kaufmann, before an eventual failed drug test. A post-fight drug test resulted in a 'no contest' after Eye tested positive for marijuana. A matchup with onetime UFC bantamweight title chaser Alexis 'Ally-Gator' Davis resulted in Jessica's first promotion defeat, losing to the Ontario favorite via a second split decision display. Eye's 'first' Octagon triumph, came via a doctor's stoppage in Mexico, against recent Bellator MMA signee, Leslie Smith.

Across Eye's next four Octagon walks, she suffered four consecutive defeats. Paired with some of the stiffest competition in the bantamweight division, Eye faced former bantamweight best Miesha Tate, TUF alumni and grappling supreme Julianna Pena, Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann, and the always tricky Bethe Correia. Three straight unanimous decision losses followed by a much closer split-decision defeat to 'Pitbull', forced 'Evil' Eye to strongly evaluate her stalling promotion tenure.

Flyweight Fortunes

In 2017, Jessica Eye announced her intentions to make the move to the UFC's newly established flyweight division. Originally, Eye was expected to make her divisional bow against recent American Top Team mover Paige VanZant, before the Dancing with the Stars contestant was forced to withdraw after sustaining a back injury. Eventually, Eye's flyweight debut came against experienced Sao Paulo striker Kalindra Faria. A back and forth contest with the Muay Thai practitioner earned Jessica a split decision victory, albeit razor thin, spanning a four-fight skid in the process. Exciting Australian uprise Jessica Rose-Clark met Eye in a continental clash in Singapore. Firmly cementing her status as a top tier contender at flyweight, in a three-round match, Eye scored yet another decision win.

Earning this Saturday's clash with Valentina Shevchenko at last December's UFC 231, Eye went the distance once again, in a highly contested bout with Katlyn Chookagian. On the same card, the vacant flyweight title was up for grabs, in a co-main event clash between Valentina Shevchenko and former strawweight best Joanna Jedrzejczyk, with 'Bullet' displaying phenomenal counter striking while mixing forward pressure into a dominant decision victory. Earlier that night, Eye and Chookagian clashed in a close three-round contest, with Eye leaving the Octagon with a split decision, and a path to her premier championship challenge.

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