Jessica Eye in favor of women’s flyweight in UFC, won’t compete in it

Current UFC bantamweight Jessica Eye doesn’t miss her days in her previous weight division.

Jessica Eye may have started her professional fighting career at 125lbs, but she now competes in the UFC’s bantamweight division, and has no intention ever of leaving it.

Ever since the news broke of a flyweight fight between Joanne Calderwood and Valerie Letourneau next month at UFC Ottowa on June 18th, many fans have speculated that this may be an opening for the organization to establish a permanent women’s flyweight division. Some fans and analysts are torn on the idea, citing concerns regarding divisional depth and strength of schedule as being serious obstacles for that division to be feasible in the UFC.

Jessica Eye, who has competed at flyweight, welcomes the idea of bringing in the new weight class but she has no desire at all to go back to it. In an interview with FoxSports.com’s Damon Martin, she explains her refusal to make the change:

“I think a lot of the girls I fought at 125 made it there a lot easier than I did. I pushed through but I’m a lot bigger. I’m 29 years old now. I’m not 23 anymore. I’m more of a developed woman. My muscle structure has changed and I think that now being at 135, I’ve had better nutrition and it’s like my body is growing. It’s allowed to have the nutrition it needs to be where it needs to be,” Eye said.

Eye makes the case for staying at the weight class that is optimal for her performance, and it’s also a position that many other fighters have taken — especially after the USADA banned the use of IVs to replenish after weight cuts. Eye prefers to stay closer to her fight weight these days and focus on keeping her overall health and preparation in check, and that’s a totally reasonable and respectable opinion to have.

Eye is currently on a two-fight losing streak with losses to current women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and Julianna Peña. She is also currently 1-3 with 1 no contest in the UFC, with a win over Sarah Kaufman being overturned by the athletic commission after failing a drug test due to cannabis use. She fights former title challenger and former Olympic medalist Sara McMann this Sunday at UFC Fight Night 88.

Current UFC bantamweight Jessica Eye doesn’t miss her days in her previous weight division.

Jessica Eye may have started her professional fighting career at 125lbs, but she now competes in the UFC’s bantamweight division, and has no intention ever of leaving it.

Ever since the news broke of a flyweight fight between Joanne Calderwood and Valerie Letourneau next month at UFC Ottowa on June 18th, many fans have speculated that this may be an opening for the organization to establish a permanent women’s flyweight division. Some fans and analysts are torn on the idea, citing concerns regarding divisional depth and strength of schedule as being serious obstacles for that division to be feasible in the UFC.

Jessica Eye, who has competed at flyweight, welcomes the idea of bringing in the new weight class but she has no desire at all to go back to it. In an interview with FoxSports.com’s Damon Martin, she explains her refusal to make the change:

“I think a lot of the girls I fought at 125 made it there a lot easier than I did. I pushed through but I’m a lot bigger. I’m 29 years old now. I’m not 23 anymore. I’m more of a developed woman. My muscle structure has changed and I think that now being at 135, I’ve had better nutrition and it’s like my body is growing. It’s allowed to have the nutrition it needs to be where it needs to be,” Eye said.

Eye makes the case for staying at the weight class that is optimal for her performance, and it’s also a position that many other fighters have taken — especially after the USADA banned the use of IVs to replenish after weight cuts. Eye prefers to stay closer to her fight weight these days and focus on keeping her overall health and preparation in check, and that’s a totally reasonable and respectable opinion to have.

Eye is currently on a two-fight losing streak with losses to current women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and Julianna Peña. She is also currently 1-3 with 1 no contest in the UFC, with a win over Sarah Kaufman being overturned by the athletic commission after failing a drug test due to cannabis use. She fights former title challenger and former Olympic medalist Sara McMann this Sunday at UFC Fight Night 88.